Faculty of Health Sciences
School of Health Systems and Public Health
School of Health Systems and Public Health
Ageing with health, well-being and quality of life of South Africans in early and later old age
The overall aims of the study are to ascertain, longitudinally, health, well-being and quality of life in early and later old age, and develop feasible, acceptable and effective interventions to improve health, well-being and quality of life. The specific objectives are to: (1) ascertain time and group effects on health, well-being and quality of life; (2) identify a range of specific intervention methods that may be effective in improving health, well-being and quality of life in early and later old age; (3) determine which intervention approaches may be potentially acceptable, feasible and appropriate to implement for older residents of Atteridgeville; (4) develop a community based intervention that is adapted to the logistical, socio-cultural and behavioural characteristics of older residents of Atteridgeville; and (5) pilot-test the intervention to determine the acceptability, feasibility and effectiveness of the intervention among older residents of Atteridgeville.
A cross-sectional, longitudinal, analytical research design will be used. Comparisons will be made between 2005 and 2007 data, with four groups of residents: early old age (50-63), old age (64-73), late old age (74-83) and frail old age (84+) from Atteridgeville on health, well-being and quality of life. The same questionnaire will be administered to the 400 respondents, who participated in 2005. In addition to completion of the questionnaire, 50 randomly selected respondents will be drawn for in-depth interviews for intervention development.
A structured questionnaire, with a consent form, will be used to obtain information on: socio-demographic characteristics; material resources; health and well-being; health problems; satisfaction with personal and environmental quality of life; life and neighbourhood satisfaction; happiness; social support; self-esteem; and satisfaction with work and activities, financial situation, health and associations with people.
All 400 of the original 2005 sample will be visited to ascertain whether they are willing to participate in the follow-up study. The same questionnaire will be used in 2007 as was used in 2005. In addition to completion of the questionnaire, 50 randomly selected respondents will be asked whether they are willing to participate in an in-depth interview for intervention development.
All data will be analysed with SPSS Version 14 and STATA PC statistical packages. Descriptive statistics will be the first step for data analysis. Reliability (internal consistency) analyses will be conducted on all sub-scales; coefficient alpha of 0.70 is regarded as acceptable, between 0.71 and 0.80 as respectable and > 0.80 as very good. T tests, Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), with Bonferroni adjustments for multiple comparisons, will be used for demographic and group effects. Pairwise t tests will be used to compare 2005 and 2007 data. Integrated multivariate statistical procedures (including principal components analysis, factor analysis and multiple regression) will be used to analyse the data further. Thematic analyses will be conducted on the qualitative data from the interviews.
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