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An overview of the methodology and general findings from the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2018: Older persons’ health in Malaysia
Author(s) -
Sooryanarayana Rajini,
Wong Norazizah Ibrahim,
Ahmad Noor Ani,
Razak Mohammad Aznuddin Abdul,
Yusoff Muhammad Fadhli Mohd,
Chan Ying Ying,
Omar Mohd Azahadi,
Abidin Sheleaswani Inche Zainal,
Bakar Faridah Abu,
Aris Tahir
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
geriatrics and gerontology international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.823
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1447-0594
pISSN - 1444-1586
DOI - 10.1111/ggi.14094
Subject(s) - medicine , stratified sampling , gerontology , population , baseline (sea) , environmental health , quality of life (healthcare) , nursing , oceanography , pathology , geology
Aim This article describes the methodology of the 2018 Malaysian National Health and Morbidity Survey, and provides an overview of the sociodemographic details of the respondents and key findings on the health of older adults. Methods The survey included 3977 community‐dwelling respondents, aged ≥60 years across Malaysia. Two‐stage stratified random sampling with selection of enumeration blocks from both urban and rural areas ensured the findings were representative of the Malaysian older population. Results Complex sampling analyses ensured that findings on various geriatric syndromes, non‐communicable diseases, nutritional status, functional status, social well‐being and quality of life are representative of the Malaysian older population. Among the limitations are that the composition of older persons varied slightly from the general older population. Conclusions This article presents the methodology of the survey, and a baseline of the major health issues for older persons in Malaysia to provide clear guidance to researchers, program managers and policymakers to fully utilize the data from the Malaysian National Health and Morbidity Survey toward achieving healthy aging. The findings might stimulate more research on the health problems faced by older people to provide inputs for policymaking and program implementation. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20: 7–15 .