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. 2018 Feb;26(2):292-300.
doi: 10.1016/j.jsps.2017.11.008. Epub 2017 Nov 20.

The health of Saudi older adults; results from the Saudi National Survey for Elderly Health (SNSEH) 2006-2015

Abdullah T Khoja  1 , Mohammad H Aljawadi  2 , Sulaiman A Al-Shammari  3 , Ashry G Mohamed  3 , Hamad A Al-Manaa  4 , Laura Morlock  5 , Saifuddin Ahmed  6 , Tawfik A M Khoja  7
Affiliations

The health of Saudi older adults; results from the Saudi National Survey for Elderly Health (SNSEH) 2006-2015

Abdullah T Khoja et al. Saudi Pharm J. 2018 Feb.

Abstract

Objectives: To Describe the Saudi older adult (SOA) characteristics and Introduce the Saudi National Survey for Elderly Health (SNSEH).

Methods: The SNSEH, a population-based nationally-representative survey, was used. Subjects were included in 2006-2007, using random-cluster sampling utilizing probability proportional to size approach, and followed-up to determine their vital status until June 2015. In the analyses, survey weights were incorporated. Parametric, non-parametric and logistic regression were used. Cox-proportional hazard regression was used to determine gender effects on mortality.

Results: We included 2,946 SOA. The mean age was 70.1(SD = 0.3). Around, 70% were illiterate. Almost 50% had monthly income of 2500 (2007-Saudi-Riyals). The most reported diseases were hypertension, diabetes and joints pain. The most reported medications were over the counter, antidiabetics and antihypertensive. The nine-years age-adjusted death hazard was 42% higher in SOA males.

Conclusion: This is an introductory paper for a series of papers that describe SOA health. These efforts will help in guiding the development of a national healthcare model for SOA, evidence-based health policies and public intervention programs that address SOA health-related issues.

Keywords: Elderly; Geriatric; Medications; National; Saudi Arabia.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The Association between Subjects' income and whether it is enough to cover their needs (N = 2946).
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The top reported medical disorders that Saudi older adults were suffering from between 2006 and 2007 (N = 2946).
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Plot for Cox's proportional hazards model compares the survival by genders after controlling for age (N = 2069).
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Saudi Arabia population aging index and the proportion of extreme age groups, 1950–2100 based on a medium fertility rate assumption.(4).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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