Bolster Marie, Visaria Abhijit, Matchar David, Gerstorf Denis, Schmitz Tillman, Labohm Benjamin, Kohl Raphael, Haase Dagmar, Gellert Paul, Chan Angelique, Herrmann Wolfram J
Institute of General Practice and Family Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Centre for Ageing Research and Education, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore.
BMC Geriatr. 2025 Aug 22;25(1):650. doi: 10.1186/s12877-025-06185-0.
Urbanisation and ageing populations are global challenges for ageing well. This mixed-methods study examines the health and social needs of older adults in urban areas in Berlin, Germany and in Singapore, focusing on three key dimensions of healthy ageing and wellbeing: health, mobility, loneliness, and equity as a cross-cutting theme.
The design follows a mixed-methods approach combining a quantitative longitudinal cohort study with qualitative interviews. For the quantitative cohort study, a standardised survey is carried out via home visits with a random sample of n = 1,050 adults aged 65 + years each in selected neighbourhoods in Berlin (three neighbourhoods) and Singapore (five neighbourhoods). The questionnaire comprises questions on health and health care utilization, neighbourhood, loneliness and social contacts, mobility and sociodemographic characteristics. Additionally, three functional tests (cognitive functioning, hand grip strength, and walking speed) are carried out with participants. Participants are followed-up after 12 months with a second survey interview. The survey data is linked with openly available geospatial data to allow for more in-depth study of the built-up and social environment and physical barriers in the selected neighbourhoods. For the qualitative component, walking interviews are conducted with n=50 people each in Berlin and Singapore focusing on older adults' subjective perspective on health, mobility, green spaces and loneliness in their urban neighbourhood. The results of the different study components will be triangulated.
The Ageing Well Study offers a valuable opportunity to assess the health and social needs of older adults in two distinct urban contexts. The mixed-methods design and utilization of multiple data sources enables an examination of the various dimensions of ageing well from disparate angles and perspectives. The extensive quantitative data set permits the examination of associations and interlinkages between the various dimensions of ageing well and the living environment, as well as the identification of changes over a 12-month period. By opting for home visits, participants with limited mobility are more likely to participate. Minor adaptations of the instruments and methods were implemented to best suit local context, administrative regulations, and feasibility at the study site.
The study has been registered prospectively at the German Register for Clinical Studies (DRKS) (DRKS00033043, registration date: 16th Nov 2023) which is part of the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (WHO ICTRP).
城市化和人口老龄化是实现健康老龄化的全球性挑战。这项混合方法研究考察了德国柏林和新加坡城市地区老年人的健康和社会需求，重点关注健康老龄化和幸福的三个关键维度：健康、行动能力、孤独感，以及作为贯穿各领域主题的公平性。
该研究采用混合方法，将定量纵向队列研究与定性访谈相结合。对于定量队列研究，通过家访对柏林（三个社区）和新加坡（五个社区）选定社区中年龄在65岁及以上的n = 1,050名成年人随机样本进行标准化调查。问卷包括有关健康和医疗保健利用、社区、孤独感和社会交往、行动能力以及社会人口学特征的问题。此外，还对参与者进行了三项功能测试（认知功能、握力和步行速度）。12个月后对参与者进行第二次调查访谈随访。调查数据与公开可用的地理空间数据相关联，以便更深入地研究选定社区的建成环境和社会环境以及物理障碍。对于定性部分，在柏林和新加坡分别对n = 50人进行步行访谈，重点关注老年人对其城市社区中的健康、行动能力、绿地和孤独感的主观看法。将对不同研究部分的结果进行三角互证。
健康老龄化研究为评估两个不同城市环境中老年人的健康和社会需求提供了宝贵机会。混合方法设计和多数据源的使用使得能够从不同角度和视角审视健康老龄化各个维度。广泛的定量数据集允许考察健康老龄化各维度与生活环境之间 的关联和相互联系，以及识别12个月期间的变化。通过选择家访，行动不便的参与者更有可能参与。对工具和方法进行了细微调整，以最适合研究地点的当地情况、行政法规和可行性。
该研究已在德国临床研究注册中心（DRKS）（DRKS00033043，注册日期：2023年11月16日）进行前瞻性注册，该中心是世界卫生组织国际临床试验注册平台（WHO ICTRP）的一部分。
