Population Aging and its Impact on Elderly Welfare in Africa

Darkwa, Osei; Mazibuko, F. N. M.

doi:10.2190/xtqg-6dxd-9xwe-9x85

Cited by 19 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…In addition to insufficient governmental pensioning and social savings in Africa (Darkwa et al 2002) and Latin America, personal savings rates are much lower as compared to northern industrialized countries (Edwards 1995(Edwards , 1996. In reference to global averages, Latin American and Caribbean savings rates are low and those in Africa are still lower (Thanoon and Baharumshah 2012).…”

Section: Latitudinal Variation In Parsimony and Conservationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Migration Load, Ecological Opportunity, and Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder Etiology: Obsessive Character as an Adaptation to Seasonality

Hertler

2015

Evolutionary Psychological Science

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The obsessive-compulsive personality pattern of orderliness, parsimony, and obstinacy was first described and explained by Sigmund Freud. Freud's description was sound, but his explanation was flawed. Further still, no extant etiology, psychoanalytic or otherwise, convincingly accounts for the existence, and intergenerational perpetuation, of obsessive character. Thus, herein is presented a new etiology; an evolutionary etiology that describes obsessive personality, not as a disorder, but as an extreme strategy whose imbalance is a product of post-dispersal evolution. Migration into northerly latitudes brought about a relative release from biotic selective pressures, such as conflict and conspecific competition, and a corresponding increase in abiotic selective pressures, such as cold and seasonal scarcity. Features such as (1) future-oriented thought, (2) parsimoniousness, and (3) compulsive conscientiousness become both viable and intelligible as a temperamental consequence of struggling more exclusively with the elements. After using comparative animal data to demonstrate their biogeographical distribution, the human distribution of these three traits is also shown to be concentrated within northerly latitudes.

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Section: Latitudinal Variation In Parsimony and Conservationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Migration Load, Ecological Opportunity, and Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder Etiology: Obsessive Character as an Adaptation to Seasonality

Hertler

2015

Evolutionary Psychological Science

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“…Women represented 66% of the group and men represented 32%, which also provides an indication of the composition of the elderly population in South Africa -similar to other parts of the world. 1,5 There was a mortality rate of 17% (n=131), which is summarised in Table I, compared to an international mortality rate of 21.7%. 8 The highest incidence of death was in the age group 75 to 84 years (55%, n=431).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…4 Africa's elderly population is unevenly distributed across the continent, with the Southern African region having the highest percentage of elderly people. 5 In South Africa, over half of the elderly are expected to reside in urban areas, with only 32% living in a rural setting. 6 Urbanisation, modernisation and the effect of AIDS are changing the family structures in traditional African societies and, as a result, also the patterns of care and support.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These developments have implications for social policy designed to address the needs of the elderly. 5 In 1996, the elderly population of South Africa (65 years and older) was roughly 6.7%, and was calculated to rise to 10.4% by 2025. 7 If the latter estimation is anywhere near realistic, it stands to reason that the Department of Health should make timely provision for the care of these future patients, as the prevailing disease patterns within a population change as that population ages.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Profile of the geriatric patient hospitalised at Universitas Hospital, South Africa

Staden

Weich

2007

South African Family Practice

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BackgroundThe elderly population in Africa is unevenly distributed across the continent, with the highest percentage of elderly living in the Southern African region. In 1996, the elderly population of South Africa (65 years and older) was roughly 6.7%, and was calculated to be 10.4% by 2025. If the latter expectation is anywhere near realistic, it stands to reason that the Department of Health should make timely provision for the care of these future patients, as the prevailing disease patterns within a population change as that population ages. Thus, there is an urgent need for profiles of elderly patients in order for adequate training to be implemented and for beds and equipment to be ready when needed. MethodsA retrospective study was undertaken of all data available from a clinical audit done at Universitas Hospital's Geriatric Unit. All patients aged 65 years and older who were admitted by Internal Medicine's Geriatric Unit over four years were analysed in order to compile a profile of geriatric patients hospitalised at Universitas Hospital. ResultsThe study group consisted of 791 elderly patients. Their average age was 81 years (range: 65 to 101 years of age) and they were hospitalised for an average of 11 days, with an average use of five medications per patient. Women represented 66% of the patients and the mortality rate was 17% in the total study group. The main admitting clinical problems were hypertension, heart failure, ischemic heart disease and anaemia. Most of the patients did not smoke or use alcohol. Out of a group of 523(due to the fact that it was a retrospective study, data for this criteria were only available for 523 of the 791 patients), 235 (45%) were self-supporting and 32% were known to use living aids. The majority of the patients were single and an equal amount were living in old age homes and with their families. The main special examinations used in their treatment were chest X-rays, nuclear examinations of the liver, ECG, heart sonar and CT of the brain, and gastroscopies. Almost all of the patients had undergone full blood count analysis and U+E determinations, and in more than 50% of cases, creatine, albumin and glucose measurements were taken. ConclusionFor successful geriatric care at Universitas Hospital there will be a need for at least 11 days hospitalisation, and a unit with good training in internal medicine, psychiatry, urology, orthopaedy and oncology. The main supporting services will be physiotherapy, occupational therapy and social welfare. Laboratory analyses will include full blood count, urea and electrolyte measurements, urine examination, and creatine and glucose measurements. Special investigations will mainly be radiology and cardiology sonar examination. How well we care for elderly patients in the future will be an indicator of the quality of our healthcare system in general. We need to redesign our social insurance and welfare systems to fit the realities of our current situation. SA Fam Pract 2007;49(2):14The full version of this article is avai...

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“…This causes reduction in feelings of growth, mastery, autonomy, and self-acceptance. In addition, older women are more likely to be widowed, living alone, and financially stressed, and to have a lower level of formal education, as compared with older men (Darkwa & Mazibuko, 2002). Once widowed, women often are denied inheritance and burial rights, and face home eviction, physical abuse, loss of social status, marginalization, and poverty (DiGiacomo, Davidson, Byles, & Nolan, 2013).…”

Section: Gendermentioning

confidence: 99%

Ageism and Stigma

Psychology of Aging 101

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Population Aging and its Impact on Elderly Welfare in Africa

Cited by 19 publications

References 28 publications

Migration Load, Ecological Opportunity, and Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder Etiology: Obsessive Character as an Adaptation to Seasonality

Migration Load, Ecological Opportunity, and Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder Etiology: Obsessive Character as an Adaptation to Seasonality

Profile of the geriatric patient hospitalised at Universitas Hospital, South Africa

Ageism and Stigma

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