Health-related needs and indicators of an age-friendly city: a survey from the perspective of older adults in a province in Southeastern Iran.

BACKGROUND

The growing aging population is a significant global achievement. Addressing the specific needs of the older adults and creating age-friendly cities are essential priorities. This study aimed to identify health-related needs and indicators of an age-friendly city from the perspective of older adults in a province in southeastern Iran.

METHODS

This descriptive-cross-sectional study was conducted on 1,000 older adults in Kerman province. Participants were selected through multi-stage sampling. Three questionnaires were used to collect data: the demographic questionnaire, the Camberwell Assessment of Need for the Elderly, and the World Health Organization’s questionnaire of age-friendly city indicators. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive and inferential statistics in SPSS 26.

RESULTS

The study results revealed that older adults perceived alcohol and self-care as the highest and lowest levels of no needs. Additionally, physical health and benefits obtained the highest frequencies for met and unmet needs, respectively. Friends/relatives mostly helped with self-care but did not help with benefits. In contrast, statutory services provided help with accidental self-harm but did not help with physical health. Age-friendly city indicators in Kerman province were found to be suboptimal, with the Community Support and Health Services index scoring the highest and Transportation index scoring the lowest.

CONCLUSION

This study offers valuable insights into the health-related needs and indicators of an age-friendly city for older adults in a province in Iran. The results can guide managers, policymakers, and planners in developing effective strategies for elderly care at both national and regional levels.