Difficulty with Mobility among the Aged in Ghana: Evidence from Wave 2 of the World Health Organization’s study on Global Ageing and Adult Health

Abstract

ABSTRACTBackgroundThe recent decline in mortality, increase in life expectancy and technological and scientific advancements have led to an increasingly ageing population. About 727 million people globally were aged 65 or more in 2020, and 1 in 6 people will be age 65 years or above by 2050. About 7% of Ghana’s population was over 60 years in 2010, and projected to be 12% by 2050. However, the aged are confronted with degenerative conditions that translate into difficulty with mobility. The study was conducted to investigate the difficulty with mobility among the aged in Ghana.MethodsThe study utilised a cross-sectional dataset of the 2014/2015 (wave 2) Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health and included 1,848 participants aged ≥50 years. The survey command was applied to adjust for sampling biases and the design of the study. At 5% alpha level, a chi-square test of independence was conducted to determine the association between dependent and independent variables. At 95% confidence interval and 5% alpha level, three-level multilevel logistic regression models were performed. The fixed-effects were presented in odds ratio and the random effects were presented using the Intra-Class Correlation. All analysis were performed using STATA statistical software version 16.0.ResultsOut of the 1,848 participants, 62.3% had difficulty with mobility. Additionally, age (80 and above) [AOR=4.70, 95%CI=2.34 – 9.43], difficulty performing household activities [AOR=6.96, 95%CI=5.03 – 9.64], experiencing bodily pains [AOR=3.21, 95%CI=1.81 – 5.60] and bodily discomfort [AOR=3.39, 95%CI=1.91 – 5.99] and difficulty with vision [AOR=1.70, 95%CI=1.18 – 2.43] had higher odds of difficulty with mobility. However, engaging in vigorous activities [AOR=0.44, 95%CI=0.32 – 0.63] and having good health [AOR=0.41, 95%CI=0.19 – 0.88] were protective of difficulty with mobility.ConclusionThe study concludes that the aged in Ghana had higher prevalence (62.3%) of difficulty with mobility which is associated with age (80 and above), difficulty performing household activities, bodily pains and discomfort, and difficulty with vision. This suggests the need to provide support and assistive devices for the aged and provide geriatric care including recreational fields and care homes to address the health and physical needs of the aged in Ghana.