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Department of Health embarks on a national study on the health of older persons
Department of Health SA - www.doh.gov.za
2007-03-09

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, South Africa, Tanzania and Vietnam.

According to the WHO, the world's population aged 60 and over will more than triple from 600 million to 2 billion from 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 life-long 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 R2 million (340 000 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 3 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 advise to go to the nearest health facility for further check-ups.

Issued jointly by: Department of Health
Ms Christelle Kotzenberg, National Head of Non-Communicable Diseases
and 
The Human Sciences Research Council, Prof Refilwe Phaswana-Mafuya, Director, Social Aspects of HIV and AIDs

For more information please contact:
Charity Bhengu, Department of Health on 0836797424 or Ina van der Linde, HSRC, on 0823310614

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