PROFILES AND PREDICTORS OF SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING AND HEALTH-SEEKING BEHAVIOUR AMONG OLDER PERSONS WITH MULTIMORBIDITY IN A RURAL PRIMARY CARE ENVIRONMENT IN SOUTH-EASTERN NIGERIA.

BACKGROUND: Subjective well-being(SWB) and health-seeking behaviour(HSB) are important medical channels to gauge the health status of older persons with multimorbidity particularly in resource-poor environment with limited socio-medical and health infrastructure.

AIM: The aim of the study was to determine the profiles and predictors of SWB and HSB among older persons with multimorbidity in a rural primary care environment in South-Eastern Nigeria.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 214 older persons with multimorbidity from January to December 2022 in South-Eastern Nigeria. Data collection was done using structured, pretested and interviewer guided questionnaire. Subjective well-being was determine using single-item self-rated health status questionnaire. Multimorbidity was determine using Multimorbidity Assessment Questionnaire for Primary Care(MAQ-PC).

RESULTS: The ages of study participants were 60-99 years(x=68±4.5 years). There were 123(57.5%) females. Ninety-three (43.5%) of the study participants had good SWB while 86(40.2%) had appropriate HSB. The most common multimorbidities were aggregate disorders of cardiovascular, musculoskeletal and gastrointestinal systems. The independent predictors of poor SWB were advanced old age(ORs=3.101; 95%CI(1.526-6.019); P=.024), low education(ORs=4.056; 95%CI(2.512-8.509); P=.025) and non-household family structure(ORs=2.225; 95%CI(1.078-6.192); P= .001). Inappropriate HSB were predicted by males(ORs=2.428; 95%CI(1.107-6.379); P=.039), low education(ORs=3.007; 95%CI(1.387-7.001); P=.013) and retirees with no secondary occupation (ORs=4.761;95%CI(1.351- 8.072); P= .001).

CONCLUSION: The study has shown the SWB and HSB among the study participants. The independent predictors of poor SWB were advanced old age, low education and non-household family structure. Inappropriate HSB werepredicted by males, low education and retirees with no secondary occupation. Subjective well-being and HSB should be explored during clinical consultations with older persons with multimorbidity particularly in the sub-region with double whammy of non-communicable and communicable diseases.