ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE OF DETERMINANTS OF HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AMONG GERIATRIC POPULATION IN GWAGWALADAAREA COUNCIL OF FCT, ABUJA

Abstract

Healthy lifestyle in geriatric (elderly) is a lifelong process of optimizing opportunities for improving and preserving
health as knowledge and practice of predictors of healthy lifestyle play essential roles in the lives of the elderly. This
cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out to assess the Knowledge and Practice of determinants of healthy
lifestyle among geriatric population in Gwagwalada area council, the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria. A
total of 384 elderly people ranging from 65 years and above were selected using random sampling technique. The data
were collected using structured self-administered questionnaire and were analyzed using statistical package for social
sciences (SPSS, Version 20). Out of 384 participants, 55.5% of them had knowledge, while 44.7% practice
determinants of healthy lifestyle and 50.1% of the participants in the council has positive inclination towards the
predictors (determinants) of healthy lifestyle. The result revealed differences in knowledge and practice among the
geriatric age groups studied. The data analysis showed that there were statistical significance association between age,
education, occupation and knowledge (P<0.05) as well, medical check-ups, education, gender and practice (P<0.05).
It is pertinent to create more awareness among the respondents in the locality and sensitize even the youths. The
literacy of the youths plays more roles in their old age, hence, the need not to neglect the education of the youths of
the society.