The Magnitude and Socio-Economic, Health and Nutritional Status of Street Elderly People in Addis Ababa
No Thumbnail Available
Date
1998-12
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The number of street people is reported to be increasing with time. To assess the
magnitude of and the associated factors with streetism, and the socio-economic, health
and nutritional status of street elderly people, a cross sectional survey was conducted in
Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, in May 1998. A total of 2,064 street elderly people
were counted during a one- day census. Of these 413 study subjects were enrolled in to
the study by means of convenient sampling; 228 (55.2%) males and 185 (44.8%) females
were included. The mean ± SD age of the study population was 70.9 ± 9.2 years (range
60-100 years). Three hundred thirty four (80.9%) of the elderly people were single,
females being more likely (OR=2.88; 95% CI=1.61 - 5.19). Three hundred and seventy
nine (91.8%) were migrants because of war, starvation, for medical reasons, looking for
better job and to see relatives. The Majority did not belong to any social organization, 213
(51.6%) had some role to play and 280 (67.8%) reported to be respected as an elderly.
Two hundred and sixty four (63 .9%) felt lonely, and 280 (67 .8%) felt hopeless. Two
hundred and eighty (67.8%) reported to eat food only when available, 230 (55.7%) to
have no extra clothes, 76 (18.4%) and 67 (16.2%) to never wash their clothes and their
body, respectively. Two hundred and ninety (70.2%) of the respondents reported to be
sick during the study period; the most frequently reported health problems were of vision
212 (51.3%), mastication 176 (42.6%), rheumatism 153 (37.0%), abdominal 145 (35.1 %)
and joint 143 (34.6%) problems. Age was an important predictor for many of the reported
health problems. Out of 379 for whom data were available, 302 (79.8%) were found to
be malnourished. Two hundred and twenty nine (55.4%) were willing to join any institution
providing care for elderly people. One hundred twenty six (30.5%) were "of" the street
type while the rest, 287 (69.5%), were "on" the street type. The "of" the street ones were
more likely to suffer from different conditions, such as lack of food and clothing,
harassment, loneliness, hopelessness. The Focus Group Discussions (FGD) also revealed
similar findings, moreover, there were elderly people who reported to be capable and
willing to work if they got suitable job. In conclusion, the street elderly people are
numerous and have complex social, economic, health and nutritional problems which need
urgent and multi-sectoral intervention.
Description
Keywords
Socio-Economic, Health