Aging and Health in Africa

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xii

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2. Introduction

   • Pranitha Maharaj

   Pages 1-9

3. Population Ageing in Africa

   • Natashya Kristanna Pillay, Pranitha Maharaj

   Pages 11-51

4. The Health Situation of Older People in Africa

   • Farzana Alli, Pranitha Maharaj

   Pages 53-89

5. Health and Health Seeking Behaviour in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Perspectives of the Elderly

   • Ganzamungu Zihindula, Pranitha Maharaj

   Pages 91-101

6. Older People in Rural Ghana: Health and Health Seeking Behaviours

   • Nana Apt

   Pages 103-119

7. Growing Old in the Era of AIDS: Perspectives and Experiences of Older Men and Women in South Africa

   • Chantal Munthree, Pranitha Maharaj

   Pages 121-138

8. The Impact of HIV/AIDS on Older Persons in Uganda

   • Annet Nankwanga, Stella Neema, Julie Phillips

   Pages 139-155

9. On the Fringe of Poverty: Care Arrangements for Older People in Rural Cameroon

   • Charles Che Fonchingong

   Pages 157-170

10. Ageing in Post-Apartheid South Africa: An Analysis of the “Nearly Old”

    • Nina Hunter, Julian May

    Pages 171-196

11. Understanding the Experiences of the Elderly in Rural Areas in Rwanda

    • Ganzamungu Zihindula, Pranitha Maharaj

    Pages 197-209

12. Policy and Programme Responses

    • Ashley Gresh, Pranitha Maharaj

    Pages 211-236

13. Back Matter

    Pages 237-244

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Population aging is a matter of global concern. It often occurs in tandem with changes in the health profile of the population. In Africa, many countries are already facing a high burden of communicable diseases. However, as more and more children survive childhood and move on to adult years and old age they are also more likely to experience health problems associated with the aging process. Population aging in Africa is occurring in the context of high levels of poverty, changing family structures, an immense disease burden, fragile health systems and weak or poorly managed government institutions. This book shows that aging is likely to lead to increased social and economic demands for the continent. However, most national governments in Africa have not begun to address the issue of how to respond effectively to the needs of the older population. This will require a better understanding of the socio-economic and demographic situation of the older population in Africa. This book fills the gaps that exist by exploring the social realities of population aging in Africa. It also focuses on the policy and programmatic responses, gaps and future challenges related to aging across the continent.

• Access to health care
• Aging in Africa
• Aging in developing countries
• Anemia
• Demography
• Gerontology
• HIV/AIDS
• Healthy aging
• Malnutrition
• Population Aging
• Poverty
• Quality of life
• Social Policy
• Sub-Saharan Africa

• , Built Environment and Development Studie, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa

  Pranitha Maharaj

Pranitha Maharaj, Ph.D. is an associate professor at the School of Development Studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban. Before joining the School of Development Studies she was a lecturer at the Department of Sociology at the University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg. She holds a Ph.D. from the Centre for Population Studies at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Her areas of interest include aging, sexual and reproductive health, and HIV prevention. She has published widely in top international and national journals, and is also currently involved in policy research. Her most recent work, published in Research on Aging, investigated the impact of AIDS on older people in South Africa.

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