ABSTRACT

This study assessed Health belief determinants of obesity and diabetes mellitus among the elderly in Ikwuano and Umuahia north local government area Abia state. The study was a descriptive cross-sectional study. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select the study sample of 66 respondents. A structured and validated questionnaire was used for the data collection and analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation and significance was at p<0.05. IBM Statistical Package (SPSS), version 22.0 was used to analyze the data. The result showed that 56.1% were males and 43.9% were females and the age categories of the respondents were between 60 to 90 years, more than half (51.5%) were within their 60 to 65 years of age. The result revealed that majority of (83.3%) adults perceived that they were not too fat (obese), while very few (16.7%) of the adult perceived that they were too fat. Majority (89.4%) were not found to be diabetic while 10.6% of the population already knows they were diabetic. Result further showed that the respondents positively agree that they had perceived susceptibility of obesity, perceived severity of obesity, perceived benefits of engaging in preventive behaviour, perceived barriers for engaging in preventive behaviour and self-efficacy in performing preventive behaviour with a mean value of 0.01±0.63, 0.27±0.55, 0.59±0.52, 0.14±0.61, and 0.24±0.63 respectively. Result also revealed perceived benefits of engaging in preventive behaviour was 0.59±0.52, perceived barriers for engaging in preventive behaviour, -0.14±0.61 and self-efficacy in performing preventive behaviour was 0.24±0.63. The study revealed that the perceived severity of being obese, the perceived benefits of engaging in preventive behaviour and the perceived self-efficacy in performing preventive behaviour were the determinants (P<0.01) of the perceived susceptibility to obesity of the respondents. It showed that the respondents’ self-perception of being obese was being influenced (P<0.01) by body mass index and their belief of the benefits derived from engaging in preventive behaviours. The findings of this study also showed a correlation between having high educational status, perceived barriers and perceived benefits.  Result revealed that being retired predicted perceived benefits and perceived severity of obesity. It showed a significance (P<0.05) association between having high education and perceived benefits. Also being retired predicted perceived severity and perceived benefits of engaging in preventive behaviours against diabetes mellitus. The result also there was no correlation between age and the health belief determinants of diabetes mellitus. The result conclude that the elderly adults were discovered to be diabetic using the random blood glucose classification and they were aware of their current health status. The study also concludes many of the respondents percieved themselves to have a poor body size. Many perceived themselves to be obese even when they were not. Prevalence of obesity and overweight found in the respondents were higher than the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Nigeria. They were also at high risk of non-communicable diseases. The study therefore recommends that families and caregivers of the elderly should be educated by nutritionist and the government on health belief models which will key component in care of the elderly.