of older persons
8 March 2007
South Africa has been selected by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to
participate in a ground breaking household Study on Global Ageing and Adult
Health (SAGE), the first of its kind to be conducted in this country.
The study will provide governments in developing countries with comparable
data most needed for effective health policy planning. Other participants are
Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, India, Ghana, Kenya, Mexico, Russia, Tanzania and
Vietnam.
According to the WHO the world's population aged 60 and over will more than
triple from 600 million to two billion from year 2000 until 2050, most of this
increase occurring in developing countries, where the number of older people is
expected to rise from 400 million in 2000 to 1,7 billion by 2050.
It is also estimated that by the year 2025, the global population of people
over 50 will have exceeded the numbers of persons younger than 15 years. Today
about two thirds of all older people are living in the developing world; by
2025 it will be 75%.
This demographic change has several implications for public health but
lifelong health promotion and disease prevention activities can prevent or
delay the onset of non-communicable and chronic diseases, such as heart
disease, stroke and cancer.
When these conditions do occur in older people primary health services must
provide accessible, integrated and regular care. Chronic diseases require
monitoring in order to minimise the development of associated disabilities and
negative effects on the quality of life.
The Department of Health has commissioned the Human Sciences Research
Council (HSRC) to conduct the national study. The WHO and the Department of
Health have committed (320 000 US dollars) and R5,6 million respectively for
the successful implementation of this programme.
The South African leg of the WHO study will start on Monday next week (12
March 2007) and is expected to run over five to 10 years. The initial phase, a
household survey of 6 000 households with adults 50+ years old will run for
about six months ending in August 2007. Results of the survey will be
periodically reviewed and fed into subsequent phases which will comprise
visiting the same 6 000 households two to three times over the next five to 10
years.
The survey consists of questionnaires to establish the socio-economic status
of the household; blood specimens to understand their health conditions and
physical tests will be performed on participants by registered retired. The
study is anonymous and results will not be given to participants, but if need
be, they would be advised to go to the nearest health facility for further
check ups.
For more information please contact:
Charity Bhengu
Department of Health
Cell: 083 679 7424
Ina van der Linde
Human Sciences Research Council
Cell: 082 331 0614
Issued by: Department of Health and Human Sciences Research Council
8 March 2007
