A Study of Public Health Awareness among the Elderly in an Industrially Developing Country

Problem statement: The elderly in Industrially Developing Countries (IDC) may encounter problems regarding health. This research is to determine the common diseases or ailments experienced by adults over the age of 40. Approach: A sample of 150 respondents was taken from three states in Malaysia, an IDC. Demographic profiles such as age, gender and race were obtained and questions regarding attentiveness and awareness of health were asked. Four hypotheses were tested. Multiple regression analysis was employed to analyze the data. Results: The result showed 85.8% of respondents had one or more diseases. Among them, men and women had different diseases and different race had different disease. In addition, healthy lifestyle, good diet and weight management were determinants of health awareness. Conclusion: The results are very useful for health administrators to plan strategies to improve public health in Malaysia. The study can be replicated in other countries using the same method to derive similar benefits.