Massey Documents by Type

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/294

Browse

Filters

2022 - 20232

Settings

Author: search.filters.author.Towers ASubject: search.filters.subject.Aged

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Prevalence of unmet health care need in older adults in 83 countries: measuring progressing towards universal health coverage in the context of global population ageing.
    (BioMed Central Ltd, 2023-09-15) Kowal P; Corso B; Anindya K; Andrade FCD; Giang TL; Guitierrez MTC; Pothisiri W; Quashie NT; Reina HAR; Rosenberg M; Towers A; Vicerra PMM; Minicuci N; Ng N; Byles J
    Current measures for monitoring progress towards universal health coverage (UHC) do not adequately account for populations that do not have the same level of access to quality care services and/or financial protection to cover health expenses for when care is accessed. This gap in accounting for unmet health care needs may contribute to underutilization of needed services or widening inequalities. Asking people whether or not their needs for health care have been met, as part of a household survey, is a pragmatic way of capturing this information. This analysis examined responses to self-reported questions about unmet need asked as part of 17 health, social and economic surveys conducted between 2001 and 2019, representing 83 low-, middle- and high-income countries. Noting the large variation in questions and response categories, the results point to low levels (less than 2%) of unmet need reported in adults aged 60+ years in countries like Andorra, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Slovenia, Thailand and Viet Nam to rates of over 50% in Georgia, Haiti, Morocco, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe. While unique, these estimates are likely underestimates, and do not begin to address issues of poor quality of care as a barrier or contributing to unmet need in those who were able to access care. Monitoring progress towards UHC will need to incorporate estimates of unmet need if we are to reach universality and reduce health inequalities in older populations.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Malnutrition Risk: Four Year Outcomes from the Health, Work and Retirement Study 2014 to 2018
    (MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2022-05-26) Wham C; Curnow J; Towers A
    This study aimed to determine four-year outcomes of community-living older adults identified at 'nutrition risk' in the 2014 Health, Work and Retirement Study. Nutrition risk was assessed using the validated Seniors in the Community: Risk Evaluation for Eating and Nutrition, (SCREENII-AB) by postal survey. Other measures included demographic, social and health characteristics. Physical and mental functioning and overall health-related quality of life were assessed using the 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12v2). Depression was assessed using the verified shortened 10 item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D-10). Social provisions were determined with the 24-item Social Provisions Scale. Alcohol intake was determined by using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C). Among 471 adults aged 49-87 years, 33.9% were at nutrition risk (SCREEN II-AB score ≤ 38). The direct effects of nutrition risk showed that significant differences between at-risk and not-at-risk groups at baseline remained at follow up. Over time, physical health and alcohol use scores reduced. Mental health improved over time for not-at-risk and remained static for those at-risk. Time had non-significant interactions and small effects on all other indicators. Findings highlight the importance of nutrition screening in primary care as nutrition risk factors persist over time.