ABSTRACT

The goal of people is to grow old. But as people age, their health faces various kinds of disabilities in the form of physiological, physical, mental and social impairment, chronic diseases become increasingly common with age and are often considered an inevitable part of aging. This study was designed to assess the health seeking behaviour and nutritional status of adults in Ideato south local government area in Imo state. The specific objectives were to assess the personal data of the adults and their socioeconomic status, assess the health seeking behaviour, determine their food habits, assess their anthropometric status such as weight, height, waist and hip circumstances and to determine the association between the health seeking behaviour of the older persons and their nutritional status. The study employed the ex-post facto research design. A total of 399 adults were selected using multi-staged sampling technique. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on the dietary habit, anthropometric measurement and health seeking behaviour of the adults study revealed that a more than half of the adults were 60 years and above. The study affirmed a high level of literacy amongst the adults in the study area. It was revealed that a good number of the adults were civil servants. The study affirmed that more than half of the adults ate 3 times daily across the age group. The study revealed that the adults visited the hospitals and the alternative places when sick or battling with health changing conditions. Some of the places they visited were traditional/herbal clinics and chemist shops. The result revealed that majority of the adults were at risk of cardiovascular diseases. It was also found that few of them were overweight. Significant association was found between the BMI of the adults and their age, occupation, number of children, alcoholic drinks intake and its brands. In conclusion, nutrition education as an intervention strategy is needed to increase the awareness of the adults about the problem of underweight and overweight, including abdominal obesity as to ensure that they would maintain lifestyle that would prevent these problems. The study among others recommended that the government should embark on massive enlightenment programme for the aged in other to educate them and encourage them and encourage them to health service available to them on health seeking service available to them and also seek them when needed. Cost reduction and disease management should be considered.