Abstract

The prolongation of the life span has led to an increase in the number of older people and ‎an increase ‎in the prevalence of disability in people over 60 years of age. The aim of this ‎study was to estimate ‎the prevalence of ADL disability and analyze its determinants ‎among people aged 60 and older living ‎in Gezira state, Sudan, in 2021.‎‏ ‏Cross-sectional ‎design was used to conduct the study among the ‎elderly of Gezira State. The study ‎involved 1200 older people aged 60 years and over. The Katz ‎Index of Independence in ‎Basic Activities of Daily Living was used to assess disability. Logistic ‎regression model ‎was used to identify the factors related to ADL disability. According to the ‎findings, ‎‎24% of respondents reported at least one difficulty with ADLs, and the prevalence of ‎‎disability among women was significantly higher than that of men. Furthermore, the ‎most frequent ‎problems in ADL were found in toileting (17.2 %) and transferring (13.9 ‎‎%).The results of logistic ‎regression obtained that after age, the factors with the highest ‎impact on ADL disability were poor ‎SRH, have arthritis and depressive symptoms ‏and ‎lack of social participation. The study ‎recommended that the Sudanese government ‎should formulated national policy for the elderly. In ‎addition, in order to improve the ‎elders’ potential to contribute to national development, national ‎strategies for older ‎people should be established, including disability prevention programs that ‎include ‎improving education, early diagnosis and treatment of non – communicable disease and ‎‎depression, and extending the participation of the elderly in community. ‎

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