Active ageing: process and determinants among middle-aged men in rural and urban communities in Lagos State, Nigeria

Abstract

Introduction: active ageing is the process of optimizing opportunities for health in order to enhance quality of life and wellbeing. It is influenced by physical activity, social participation and social network, cognitive and continuous learning and socio-economic factors. It involves disease prevention and promotion of healthy behaviours that can reduce the risk and occurrence of non-communicable diseases in middle age and also at old age. The study aimed to determine and compare the active ageing process and its determinants among middle-aged men in rural and urban areas in Nigeria.

Methods: this was a comparative cross-sectional study among middle-aged men 40-60 years using mixed methods. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 720 respondents. A structured interviewer administered questionnaire and Key informant interviews were used to collect data.

Results: respondents in the rural area were a little older compared to the respondents in the urban area with a mean age of 49.6 ± 6.3 years and 48.6 ± 6.2 years respectively. A higher proportion of the respondents in the rural area (83.2%) than the respondents in the urban area (73.8%) practice good active ageing processes in their lives. There was a significant association between education of respondent and the practice of active ageing among respondents in the urban and rural areas. Multivariate logistic regression showed that physical activity (aOR 7.62, 95% CI: 243-23.94, P = 0.001), life-long learning (aOR 51.73, 95% CI: 12.14-220.49, P = 0.000) and community participation (aOR 3.46, 95% CI: 2.51-4.77, P=0.000) are predictors of active ageing.

Conclusion: the study showed that respondents in the rural area practice good active ageing compared to the respondents in the urban area and hence engaged more in sufficient active life in their daily activities, reducing the risk of non-communicable diseases.

Keywords: Active ageing processes; Africa; quality of life.