Evaluation of health care utilization among Elders in health facilities after the implementation of national ageing policy: A Case of Magu District
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TextPublisher number: Wurzburg Road 35, BMC Premises, Post Code: 33102: P. O Box 1464, Mwanza – Tanzania: Phone: +255 28 298 3384: Fax: +255 28 298 3386: Email: vc@bugando.ac.tz : www.bugando.ac.tzLanguage: English Publication details: Mwanza, Tanzania: Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences CUHAS - Bugando : ©2016Description: xi; 46 Pages; Includes References and AppendicesSubject(s): Summary: Abstract:
Background: Rise in the number of older people increase both the burden of providing social and health care services especially in developing countries that may be forced to leave much of the needs of this group unaddressed. Globally elderly population creates challenges in provision of social services as the large number of them face financial crisis. Due to this, the government of Tanzania established Tanzania National Ageing Policy to support them and improve their living conditions. This study aimed at evaluating the utilization of health services among elders living in Magu district after 3 years’ implementation of Tanzania National Ageing policy 2003
Methods: A cross sectional descriptive study in evaluating health care utilization among elderly in health facilities after the implementation of Tanzania National Ageing Policy in Magu District using questionnaire and document review. Thirty-eight Public Health facilities and health facility in-charges from those 38 health facilities were involved in the study.
Results: The trend of health care utilization among elderly in health facilities was compared from the year 2010 to 2015, whereby for the three years before the implementation of the Tanzania National Ageing Policy (2010-2012), data shows that low number of elders received health care in the health facility. However, the trend changed within the three years after the implementation of the policy whereby the number of elders who received health care in the health facilities raised from 536 three years before the implementation of the policy (2010-2012) to 23,409 three years after the implementation of the policy (2013-2015).
Conclusion: Health care utilization among elders in Magu District showed an increasing trend, which was evident three years after the implementation of Tanzania National Ageing Policy. The increase was due to the improved services offered to elders including the provision of free services to them and the availability of special rooms for elders and availability of established mechanism for making follow up of older people’s health was another factor that leads to the increase of health care utilization among elders.
Abstract:
Background: Rise in the number of older people increase both the burden of providing social and health care services especially in developing countries that may be forced to leave much of the needs of this group unaddressed. Globally elderly population creates challenges in provision of social services as the large number of them face financial crisis. Due to this, the government of Tanzania established Tanzania National Ageing Policy to support them and improve their living conditions. This study aimed at evaluating the utilization of health services among elders living in Magu district after 3 years’ implementation of Tanzania National Ageing policy 2003
Methods: A cross sectional descriptive study in evaluating health care utilization among elderly in health facilities after the implementation of Tanzania National Ageing Policy in Magu District using questionnaire and document review. Thirty-eight Public Health facilities and health facility in-charges from those 38 health facilities were involved in the study.
Results: The trend of health care utilization among elderly in health facilities was compared from the year 2010 to 2015, whereby for the three years before the implementation of the Tanzania National Ageing Policy (2010-2012), data shows that low number of elders received health care in the health facility. However, the trend changed within the three years after the implementation of the policy whereby the number of elders who received health care in the health facilities raised from 536 three years before the implementation of the policy (2010-2012) to 23,409 three years after the implementation of the policy (2013-2015).
Conclusion: Health care utilization among elders in Magu District showed an increasing trend, which was evident three years after the implementation of Tanzania National Ageing Policy. The increase was due to the improved services offered to elders including the provision of free services to them and the availability of special rooms for elders and availability of established mechanism for making follow up of older people’s health was another factor that leads to the increase of health care utilization among elders.
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