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American Journal of  Physical Education 
and Health Science (AJPEHS)

A Qualitative Assessment of  Preventive Geriatric Care
Ola-Akinlalu Sefunmi Titilope1*

Volume 2 Issue 1, Year 2024
ISSN: 2992-9679 (Online) 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.54536/ajpehs.v2i1.2415
https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajpehs

Article Information ABSTRACT

Received: February 10, 2024

Accepted: March 18, 2024

Published: March 22, 2024

There was a projected growth of  up to 80% between 1990 and 2025 in an older adult of  
Nigeria above 60 years of  age. This projected growth assumes an increased workload for 
almost every healthcare provider to ensure optimal geriatric care. This study aimed to assess 
preventive geriatrics as a way of  geriatric health care.  Self-administered questionnaires 
were distributed among elderly people (60 years and above) residing in the Akure South 
Local Government Area for at least a year. The survey included several sections to assess 
multiple aspects such as sociodemographic information, assessment of  primary preventive 
geriatrics, secondary preventive geriatrics as well as tertiary preventive geriatrics as methods 
of  receiving geriatric health care. The response rate was around 96% of  the respondents. 
The mean (± standard deviation) age of  the cohort was 72.3 (±8.4) years. The primary (χ² 
=39.498, df  = 12 p-value=0.000), secondary (χ² =58.5003, df  = 12, p-value=0.000), and 
tertiary (χ² =35.8994, df  = 12, p-value=0.000) preventive geriatrics were shown to be a 
way of  geriatric health care. Geriatric health care should focus on prevention, medication 
use, personalized health management, fall prevention, and vaccination uptake. The study 
thus recommends that institutions in geriatric care provide educational programs, gratuitous 
medical evaluations, and social support strategies that can reduce the burden of  preventive 
geriatric care for Nigerian elderly.

Keywords
Geriatric Care, Primary 
Geriatric Care, Secondary 
Geriatric Care, Tertiary 
Geriatric Care

INTRODUCTION
Geriatric health care emerged because of  advances in the 
field of  preventative geriatrics. Fertility rates are currently 
declining quickly and are still low, and as people live longer 
and expectantly, death rates are also declining (Roser et al., 
2013). Humans have always been plagued by the fear of  
dying and the certainty of  aging, and they have always 
wished to delay aging and resist death (Sainani & Sainani, 
2015). According to Peel, McClure, and Bartlett (2015), 
“healthy aging” is a continuous process that maximizes 
chances for maintaining and promoting physical, social, 
and mental wellness, independence, quality of  life, and 
successful life cycle transitions. The acknowledged rise 
in the elderly population with chronic illnesses and 
disabilities has resulted in an unparalleled burden.
The triple burden of  communicable, non-communicable, 
and social and economic issues falls on older persons 
in sub-Saharan Africa. Heart and blood vessel diseases, 
including hypertension, stroke, cancer, accidents, diabetes, 
heart disease, musculoskeletal disorders, and respiratory 
accidents (Park, 2013), dementia (Adebiyi et al., 2015), 
and child abuse (Cadmus & Owoaje, 2012), are frequently 
caused by them. In healthcare systems across the globe, 
prevention is seen as the magic bullet, and numerous 
stakeholders are crucial to both preventing and enhancing 
the health of  older persons. Their living arrangements 
need to be as comfortable as feasible if  this group is to 
feel at ease. Consequently, “prevention” continues to be 
the cornerstone of  national governments’ and scientific 
organizations’ health policies.

Rationale/ Justification for the Review
In developing nations, the trend of  population aging is 

changing quickly. Now, the population of  people over 60 
is growing at a rate of  2.5% annually in less developed 
nations compared to 0.9 in more developed nations. The 
projections for 2045–2050, which anticipate the growth 
rate of  over-sixties in the least developed nations to be 
3.7% compared to 0.2% for the same age group in the 
more developed countries, highlight this trend. According 
to the UN (2002), this is eighteen times higher than in the 
more developed nations.
According to this trend, the world’s senior population will 
be increasingly concentrated in less developed areas. Thus, 
it is the rate and velocities at which a nation encounters.

Objectives
General Objective
Preventive geriatrics is a method of  providing geriatric 
healthcare, and this paper aims to describe it.

Specific Objectives
1. One method of  providing geriatric health care is to 

look at those key preventative geriatrics.
2. To ascertain whether receiving geriatric health care 

involves secondary preventative geriatrics.
3. To prove that one method of  providing geriatric 

health care is tertiary preventive geriatrics.

Hypotheses
H01: Primary preventive geriatrics is not a way of  geriatric 
care.
H02: Secondary preventive geriatrics is not a way of  
geriatric care.
H03: Tertiary preventive geriatrics is not a way of  geriatric 
care.

1 Department of  Public Health, City University, Cambodia
* Corresponding author’s e-mail: titilopeolaakinlalu@gmail.com



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LITERATURE REVIEW
Problems of  the Elderly:
These include,

Problems Due to the Ageing Process
These are the kinds of  limitations that come with 
growing older. These include emphysema, glaucoma, 
nerve deafness, osteoporosis with decreased mobility, 
senile cataracts, loss of  certain senses, mental attitude 
changes, etc.

Problems Associated with Long-Term Illness
Compared to younger people, elderly folks are more likely 
to suffer from some chronic conditions. These are heart 
and blood vascular degenerative diseases: Degenerative 
conditions affecting the heart and blood arteries become 
more significant beyond the age of  forty. Atherosclerosis 
develops over time because of  lipids forming and the 
inner walls of  the arteries breaking and destroyed. This 
results in decreased blood flow, blood clot formation, 
blood vessel ruptures, and elevated blood pressure.

Cancer
Beyond middle age, there is an increased chance of  
cancer. In developed nations, the primary cause of  death 
is cancer. The incidence of  cancer rises dramatically 
beyond the age of  forty. After the age of  65, prostate 
cancer frequently develops.

Accidents
Because of  a certain amount of  calcification that occurs 
with age, bones might break easily. At home, accidents 
occur more frequently than outside. Fractures of  the 
femur are a common issue among the elderly.

Diabetes
Diabetes is a long-term condition brought on by improper 
metabolism of  carbohydrates. Because of  the ageing 
population, it is the primary cause of  death. 

Diseases of  the Locomotor System
Older adults are susceptible to a wide range of  joint 
and non-joint disorders, including spondylarthritis, 
osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, myositis, neuritis, 
fibrositis, and gout. Compared to other chronic diseases, 
these illnesses cause older persons the greatest amount of  
misery and incapacity.

Respiratory Illnesses
Respiratory conditions like emphysema, asthma, and 
chronic bronchitis are very important in the final decades 
of  life.

Genitourinary System
The most common complaints include an enlarged 
prostate, painful urination, nighttime urination, and 
frequent and urgent urination.

Psychological problem
Mental Changes
Alzheimer’s disease, cataracts, and resistance to change 
are a few mental health issues that older people face. The 
elderly’s living conditions deteriorate because of  income 
declines, which has negative psychological and social 
effects.

Sexual Adjustment
Male sexual activity declines and female reproduction 
quits between the ages of  40 and 50. Issues with the body 
and mind could surface during this stage. Depression, 
envy, and irritability are all extremely frequent.

Emotional Disorders
Social maladjustment leads to emotional illnesses. A 
person’s pleasure throughout this phase of  life is mostly 
dependent on how well they have adapted to their age. 
Anger, disengagement, sadness, exhaustion, and even 
suicide might result from a lack of  coping mechanisms 
(Lee & Park, 2013). Social issues like homelessness, 
poverty, loneliness, victimization, and bullying are 
examples of  additional issues.

Preventive Geriatrics
The theoretical underpinnings of  preventive techniques 
used in geriatric care are very different from those of  
other age-related medical specialties (Gupta, 2015). 

Preventive Strategies Can be Grouped into Three 
Levels
Primary Prevention
A healthy lifestyle, which includes eating balanced food, 
getting regular exercise, and abstaining from drugs, is 
intended to prevent disease. 

Secondary Prevention
Can be defined as a measure that stops the progression of  
the disease in the initial phase and prevents complications. 
This means early diagnosis (screening tests, case detection 
programs) and appropriate treatment of  pathological 
conditions that arise or are discovered at a later age, 
especially reversible pathologies, to eliminate or minimize 
the remaining damage.

Tertiary Prevention
Refers to minimizing residual disability through the 
detection and treatment of  chronic diseases that are 
debilitating and established. In addition, it entails 
reintegrating the crippled patient into society as a self-
sufficient, financially successful, and socially engaged 
person. Medical, psychological, social, and occupational 
rehabilitation are all included in rehabilitation (Gupta, 
2015; Lee & Park, 2013).

Preventive Strategies
The preventive strategies include.



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Adapting a Healthy Lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle involves engaging in moderate physical 
activity that enhances cardiovascular and respiratory 
function, reduces blood pressure, treats dyslipidemia 
and impaired glucose tolerance, strengthens muscles and 
joints, enhances mobility and balance, enhances cognitive 
abilities, and enhances sleep. Having a healthy diet also 
helps older people stay healthier; non-slip mats should 
be installed, especially in bathrooms, to help reduce falls 
and accidents. Outside the house, all pathways need to be 
level, and hard and have non-slip matting on the stairwell’s 
steps and handrails on both sides. Well-lit rooms, the 
hallway, stairway, restroom, and toilet, as well as colored 
doorknobs and electrical switches A lever door handle 
that is easy to use even for fingers with arthritis should be 
placed at the top and bottom of  the stairs.

Immunization
The elderly are not covered by the widespread 
immunization campaigns that are methodically put 
into place in emerging nations. Furthermore, immune 
system performance is compromised in the elderly. As 
a result, infections greatly increase in older adults. For 
older people, vaccinations against diseases like the flu, 
pneumococcal pneumonia, tetanus, and chickenpox is 
beneficial.

Screening
Screening is the proactive search in a healthy population 
for an undetected illness or defect using diagnostic testing, 
clinical checks, or other quick procedures. Mammograms 
for breast cancer, clinical eye exams for cataracts, smear 
tests for cervical cancer, occult blood tests for colon 
cancer, blood pressure monitors for hypertension, and 
blood sugar monitors for diabetes can all be performed 
on older adults regularly. Prostate cancer (PSA level, 
rectal exam, prostate-specific antigen), etc.

Rehabilitating
An essential component of  geriatric prevention is 
rehabilitation. To train and retrain the individual to 
the highest degree of  functional performance, it 
necessitates the combined and coordinated use of  
medical, social, educational, and professional resources. 
A multidisciplinary team including geriatricians, social 
workers, clinical psychologists, occupational therapists, 
and physiotherapists is needed for implementation (Lee 
& Park, 2013).

Theoretical Framework 
The Forced Compliance Theory by Festinger and 
Carlsmith (1959) and the Theory of  Planned Behaviour 
by Montano and Kasprzy (2008) served as the study’s 
theoretical frameworks. 

Planned Behaviour Theory
Attitudes toward conduct are affected by beliefs about 
what influences a particular behaviour’s performance 

and consequences, according to the theory of  planned 
behaviour. Subjective norms are influenced by motivations 
to comply with societal standards and beliefs about those 
norms. Perceived behavioural control is influenced by 
the existence or absence of  factors that make behaviours 
easier or harder to carry out. Because older individuals’ 
intentions and beliefs affect their behaviour and 
attitudes, this theory is relevant to the study. Healthcare 
professionals’ care for elderly persons is influenced by 
available resources and demographic considerations. 
A health worker’s intentions are determined by his 
perception of  norms and beliefs, i.e., his understanding 
of  how caring for elderly people influences health.

Forced Compliance Theory
People of  higher authority or rank can coerce others of  
lower rank to make statements or do actions that impair 
their judgment, according to the coercive compliance 
theory, which was applied in this study. It can be inferred 
that the power and influence of  higher-ranking authorities 
can alter the opinions of  individuals occupying lesser 
positions. This idea enables us to force changes on public 
health personnel, who may not always have a welcoming 
demeanor, to ensure that the elderly receive better and 
more individualized care. Four stages that can result in 
transformation were recognized by Cooper & Faizo 
(1984), namely:

i. The attitude needs to have detrimental effects, 
as evidenced by the previously mentioned literature, 
Healthcare professionals’ perspectives on elderly patients.

ii. You experience guilt and dissonance when you 
select bad behaviour. Bad behaviour makes people not 
understand one another. If  someone makes you act 
unfavorably, you won’t experience dissonance—instead, 
you’ll experience togetherness. According to Festinger, 
a negative attitude makes a person uncomfortable and 
affects him on a spiritual level.

iii. Festinger says that having a pessimistic outlook 
unnerves a person and has a spiritual impact.

iv. Individuals (such as medical personnel) are 
conscious that their actions typically cause dissonance. 
This illustrates the miscommunication that exists between 
managers and nurses. The transition from negative to 
positive opinions toward healthcare providers when 
analyzing older persons’ healthcare experiences suggests 
that attitudes toward healthcare compliance influence 
older adults’ rates of  compliance. assistance from the 
hospital’s medical personnel. These two methods are 
suited for the study because they emphasize the necessity 
of  implementing every option for providing seniors with 
proper care.

METHODOLOGY 
Study Area 
Akure is the capital city of  Ondo State and is in southwest 
Nigeria. It serves as the hub of  Ondo State’s economy 
and is one of  Nigeria’s top producers of  crops and 
natural resources. It is situated where Latitude 70 17’ and 



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Longitude 50 14’ converge. The study was conducted in 
the communities surrounding Akure that are impacted by 
the explosion of  Akure city development, as well as in 
the Akure-South Local Government Area of  Ondo State.

Sample Design 
This cross-sectional study involved senior citizens (65 
years of  age and up) who had lived in the Akure South 
Local Government Area for a minimum of  one year. The 
study was restricted to senior citizens who had been living 
in the neighborhood for a minimum of  a year to minimize 
any bias resulting from an influx of  older individuals who 
might be tourists. 

Sampling Technique 
A multi-phase sampling method was used. In the 
Local Government, one political ward was chosen at 
random from each of  the three districts. After that, two 
villages were chosen at random from among the ward’s 
constituent communities using a straightforward random 
selection approach. At the community level, residences 
were numbered, with a unique number assigned to each. 
Forty dwellings were chosen at random from a table 
of  random numbers. Each home had one senior person 
interviewed, and in cases where there were multiple eligible 
individuals, a respondent was chosen by lottery. A total of  
240 older people were given questionnaires based on this.  

Instruments for Data Collection
Data was gathered from the target group using a 
straightforward questionnaire with 15 items that 
included both closed- and open-ended questions. The 
sociodemographic information was the primary focus 
of  section A of  the questionnaire, whereas section 
B dealt with the major research questions. The four-
Likert scale used in the questionnaire is as follows: 1 = 
Strongly Disagree, 3 = Agree, and 4 = Strongly Agree. 
The researcher and her research assistants administered 
the questionnaire, which was self-administered as well. 
230 surveys were accurately completed and submitted. 
The respondents were informed about the In-depth 
Interviews (IDI) and their verbal consent was sought for 
a pre-interview data analysis appointment. The researcher 
and two study assistants (one taking notes, the other 
recording audio on tape) moderated these.

Data Analysis
The method of  geriatric care known as preventative 
geriatrics was explained using descriptive statistics. 
Additionally, cross-tabulations were utilized to 
display how the sociodemographic variables varied in 
preventative geriatrics. The relationship between the 
sociodemographic characteristics and the aged people’s 
preventative geriatrics was evaluated using chi-square 
testing. After that, the binary logistic regression only 
included the significant variables found in the Chi-
square tests. Using this, the sociodemographic factors 
that influence psychological well-being were determined. 
SPSS version 15.0 was used for all analyses. 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
The respondents’ descriptive data are shown in Table 1. 
Their ages were 72.3±8.4 years, with a range of  65 to 
106 years. Women made up a bigger percentage (58.7%), 
and Christians made up roughly 47.8%. In one-half  
of  the cases, the marriage was still intact. 35.7% had a 
school certificate. This study included six Yoruba tribe 
members out of  10. Precisely 50% of  the participants 
were independent contractors. 

Table 1: Frequency Distribution of  Demographic Data 
of  the Respondents
Variables Frequency Percentage
Age (in years)
60-64 years 85 37.0
65-69 years 105 45.6
70 and above 40 17.4
Total 230 100
Gender
Male 95 41.3
Female 135 58.7
Total 230 100
Religion
Christianity 110 47.8
Islam 100 43.5
ATR 20 8.7
Total 230 100
Marital Status
Single 15 6.5
Married 115 50.0
Widow/Widower 55 23.9
Divorced 45 19.6
Total 230 100
Level of  Education
Primary 50 21.7
Secondary 82 35.7
Tertiary 73 31.7
No Formal Education 25 10.9
Total 230 100
Tribe
Yoruba 140 60.9
Igbo 65 28.2
Hausa 25 10.9
Others 0 0.0
Total 230 100
Occupation
Civil servant 75 32.6
Self  Employed 115 50.0
Others (Trading) 40 17.4
Total 180 100

Source: Field Survey 2023



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Testing of  Hypotheses 
Hypothesis 1: Primary Preventive Geriatrics is Not a 
Way of  Geriatric Health Care
The outcome of  hypothesis 1 on primary prevention as 
a method of  providing geriatric healthcare is shown in 

Table 2 above. The p-value is 0000, the d.f. is 12, and 
the χ² is 39.498. The null hypothesis is rejected since the 
p-value (0.0000) is smaller than the significance level of  
α (0.05). As a result, primary preventive geriatrics is a 
method of  providing geriatric healthcare.

Table 2: Primary Preventive Geriatrics as a Way of  Geriatric Health Care
S/N Items SA A D SD Statistic
1 Self-control on smoking and alcohol consumption 100 84 35 11

χ² =39.498
df  = 12
p-value=0.000

2 Taking mental status by activities such as solving crosswords 96 78 31 25
3 Consuming enough water in the day 77 91 45 17
4 Improvement of  sleeping and resting patterns 89 115 21 5
5 Going for an annual eye examination 75 98 36 21

Summary 87 93 34 16
38% 40% 15% 7%

Source: Field Survey 2023

Figure 1: Primary preventive geriatrics

Hypothesis 2: Secondary Preventive Geriatrics is 
Not a Way of  Geriatric Care
The outcome of  hypothesis 2 on secondary preventive 
geriatrics as a method of  providing geriatric healthcare is 
shown in Table 3 above. The p-value is 0000, d.f. is 12, and 

the χ² is 58.5003. The null hypothesis is rejected because 
the p-value (0.0000) is smaller than the significance 
level of  α (0.05). As a result, this study concludes that 
secondary preventive geriatrics is a method of  providing 
geriatric healthcare.

Table 3: Secondary Preventive Geriatrics as a Way of  Geriatric Health Care
S/N Items SA A D SD Statistic
1 Performing necessary imaging measures such as echography, 

angiography, bone densitometry, etc.
91 84 48 7

χ² =58.5003
df  = 12
p-value=0.000

2 Requesting laboratory tests such as CBC diff 111 94 21 4
3 Performing physical examination of  the body systems with 

emphasis on eyes, ears, oral cavity, heart, blood pressure, lung, 
muscle and joints, nerves, fluency, etc.

119 85 24 2

4 Fasting blood sugar two hours after a meal, hemoglobin A1C, 
lipid profiles, liver and kidney function tests urine analysis urine 
culture, etc.

76 98 35 21

5 Measuring the blood pressure, assessment of  musculoskeletal, 
colorectal cancer screening, stool examination for occult blood, 
immune fecal occult blood test (iFOBT), breast, cervix, prostate, 
and memory problems

94 81 47 8



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Hypothesis 4: Tertiary Preventive Geriatrics is Not a 
Way of  Geriatric Health Care
The outcome of  hypothesis 3 on tertiary preventive 
geriatrics as a method of  geriatric health care is shown 
in Table 4 above. With d.f. = 12 and p-value = 0000, the 

χ² = 35.8994. The null hypothesis is rejected because the 
p-value (0.0000) is smaller than the significance level of  
α (0.05). As a result, this study concludes that tertiary 
preventive geriatrics is a method of  providing geriatric 
health care.

Summary 98 88 35 9
Percentage of  Summary 43% 38% 15% 4%

Source: Field Survey 2023

Figure 2: Secondary preventive geriatrics

Table 4: Tertiary Preventive Geriatrics as a Way of  Geriatric Health Care
S/N Items SA A D SD Statistic
1 Checking the blood pressure and blood sugar (glucometer 75 97 47 11

χ² =35.8994
df  = 12
p-value=0.000

2 Getting vaccines like Annual flu, hepatitis B, varicella-zoster virus, 
diphtheria, and tetanus every 10 years one complementary dose,

108 75 31 16

3 Getting calcium, vitamin D, bisphosphonate, and aspirin if  
administered by a physician

88 95 36 11

4 Rehabilitation for one with chronic diseases & and care for terminal illness 96 75 48 11
5 Getting pneumococcal vaccine every 5 years 115 85 29 1

Summary 97 85 38 10
Percentage of  Summary 42 37 17 4

Source: Field Survey 2023

Figure 3: Tertiary preventive geriatrics



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Discussion of  Findings
The preventative geriatrics approach to geriatric healthcare 
was the focus of  this investigation. The respondents’ 
average age was 72.3±8.4 years, with roughly 58.7% of  
them being female. This study demonstrated that the 
hierarchy of  geriatric care included primary, secondary, 
and tertiary preventative care.  
The high percentage (78%) of  agreement demonstrated 
in this study that primary preventive geriatrics is a way 
of  geriatric health care was corroborated in the study of  
Chu & Chen, (2016) who revealed that balance of  the 
movements by walking, Use of  Assistive Technology 
Devices (ATDs), like cane, walker, wheelchair, special 
toilet, comfortable shoes, anti-slip socks, special seats and 
the other assistive and protective devices are methods of  
providing geriatric health care. This finding was also in line 
with the study of  Volkert and Sieber, (2011), where it was 
concluded that geriatric health care can be provided by 
modifying dietary regimens using vegetables, fruits, low-
fat, low salt and low-sugar diets and protein intake of  0.8 
g/kg body weight daily. Reddy, Jogendra, and Rosendorff, 
(2014) also supported the findings of  this study where it 
was found that home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) 
is one critical activity for elderly people’s health care. 
The findings of  this study did not negate the study of  
Sonmez, Yilmaz, Uckaya, Kilic, and Tapan, (2010) which 
showed that blood glucose self-monitoring, body weight 
monitoring, smoking, and alcohol consumption self-
control are methods of  providing geriatric health care. 
Furthermore, the support of  more than four-fifths (81%) 
of  the respondents in this study is consistent with the 
study of   Chen, Yan, Yang, Chen & Yeh, (2017) that 
emphasized the performance of  physical examination of  
the body systems with such as eyes, ears, oral cavity, heart, 
blood pressure, lung, muscle and joints, nerves, fluency, 
etc. are methods of  providing geriatric health care. Their 
findings revealed further that request laboratory tests 
such as CBC diff. Fasting blood sugar two hours after 
a meal, hemoglobin A1C, lipid profiles, liver and kidney 
function tests urine analysis and urine culture, etc. as 
well as performing necessary imaging measures such as 
echography, angiography, bone densitometry, measure 
blood pressure, assessment of  musculoskeletal, colorectal 
cancer screening, stool examination for occult blood, 
immune fecal occult blood test (iFOBT), Methylated 
Septin-9 (MS-9) DNA blood test are also significant 
methods of  providing geriatric health care.
Moreover, the finding of  this study revealed as well that 
tertiary preventive geriatric is a way of  providing geriatric 
health care as it was supported by (79%) of  respondents 
in the study. This finding was corroborated in the study 
of  Lechleitner, (2016) who opined that the correction of  
malnutrition and physical activity can prevent Sarcopenia, 
which was earlier defined by Xiang, Tang, Ma, Yan & 
Jiang, (2015) as the presence of  low muscle mass, low 
muscular strength, low physical performance, and 
presence of  a high-fat mass and has the worst prognosis 
in an elderly body. It was also not contrary to the findings 

of  Pfortmueller, Lindner, and Exadaktylos, (2014) where 
it was found that one other main problem of  the elderly 
people is falling and its consequences. This dilemma in 
the elderly population is a major source of  injury, which 
causes disability and hospitalization. It has a significant 
impact on the loss of  quality of  life, increasing senior 
home admissions and healthcare costs.

CONCLUSIONS 
The study concluded that prevention, medication use, 
individualized health management, prevention of  falls, 
and immunization uptake should be the main priorities 
of  geriatric health care.

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