Centre for Policy on Ageing



General health conditions of older women in urban Ghana
Author(s)	Chuks J Mba
Journal title	BOLD, vol 16, no 2, February 2006
Publisher	International Institute on Ageing (United Nations - Malta), February 2006
Pages	pp 9-20
Source	http://www.inia.org.mt
Keywords	Older women ; Health [elderly] ; Urban areas ; Statistics [data] ; Ghana.
Annotation	Data from the Accra Women's Survey of 2004 is used in this study of the general health of older women aged 50+ in Accra, Ghana's capital city. The findings broadly suggest that an overwhelming majority of them lack basic education, are not in any form of paid employment, and are widowed, separated or divorced. A little over 60% think that their general health is satisfactory, while 15% of them believe that their health has worsened in the last 12 months. Worsening health conditions increase with age, while almost four out of five older women have climbing limitations and have pains in their joints. Also, 53% of the women have malaria, and 42% have high blood pressure. It is apparent that older women in urban Ghana are assuming a double burden of disease. They are afflicted with the usual tropical diseases such as malaria and other vector-borne illnesses, and they are now experiencing chronic illnesses such as hypertension and diabetes. (RH).
Accession Number	CPA-060510202 A
Classmark	BD: CC: RK: 6C: 7MS
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing

...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing.