Citation

Udofia EA, Aheto JM, Mensah G, Biritwum R, Yawson AE. Prev. Med. Rep. 2019; 15: e100934.

Affiliation

Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Ghana.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.pmedr.2019.100934

PMID

31333998

PMCID

PMC6617348

Abstract

Injuries are a significant cause of hospitalization in the older population, leading to a decline in physical activity and greater dependence on others. Compared to traffic related injury, relatively fewer studies have been conducted on non-traffic related injury in the older population in Ghana. This analysis provides a nationwide baseline prevalence and associated factors of non-traffic related injuries among older adults in Ghana. Data from the 2014-2015 nationally representative World Health Organization Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) Ghana Wave 2 was used. A final sample of 3461 older adults living in 2827 households was used in the statistical modelling. Predictors of injury were examined using both single-level and multilevel binary logistic regression models. The prevalence of non-traffic related injury found in this study was 3.74%. The odds of being injured decreased among females (OR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.46, 0.95) compared to their male counterparts and those who rated their heath state as moderate (OR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.38, 0.94). Depression was the only risk factor identified in the multivariable model (OR = 2.55, 95%CI: 1.38, 4.71). The study did not observe significant residual household-level variation in injury status. The role of depression as a risk factor suggests that interventions that aim to reduce non-traffic related injury in older adults should consider improving mental health.

Language: en

Keywords

Developing countries; Ghana; Injuries; Older adults; Prevalence; Risk factors; SAGE; WHO