Factors Affecting Trends in Societal Indicators of Ageing Well in Hong Kong: Policies, Politics and Pandemics
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FACTORS AFFECTING TRENDS IN SOCIETAL INDICATORS OF AGEING WELL IN HONG KONG: POLICIES, POLITICS AND PANDEMICS J. WOO1,2, D. LEUNG2, R. YU1,2, R. LEE2, H. WONG3 1. Department of Medicine & Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; 2. CUHK Jockey Club Institute of Ageing, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; 3. Centre for Quality of Life, Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. Corresponding author: Prof Jean Woo, Department of Medicine & Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, N.T. Hong Kong, Tel: 852-3505-3493, Fax: 852-2637-3852, Email: [email protected]
Abstract: Objectives: To document the trend in a quality of life indicator for the older Hong Kong population as an assessment of the impact of age friendly city policies, political conflicts and the covid-19 pandemic. Design: Random telephone survey and collection of government data over four years (2017-2020). Setting: Community living older people. Participants: People aged 50 years and over. Measurements: The Hong Kong Quality of Life Index covering four domains of in income security, health status, capability and enabling environment. Results: From 2017-9, improvements were seen in various domains in parallel with the adoption of the World Health Organization’s Age Friendly City concept by government policy together with a territory wide initiative supported by a major philanthropic organization. However scores of all domains dropped markedly as a result of political conflicts as well as the onset of the pandemic. Conclusion: The documentation of the trend in HKEQOL shows that while it may be used as a macro indicator that is able to reflect policies affecting the well-being of older people, it is also able to reflect the impact of societal unrest and pandemics, and that the latter may override the effect of existing ageing policies. It also follows that during social unrest and pandemics, specific policies targeting older people may be needed to maintain well-being. Key words: Hong Kong Elder Quality of Life Index, age friendly city, income security, capability, health.
Introduction
on multiple domains other than medical and social sectors, and that the use of some societal indicator would be useful to monitor the effectiveness of ageing policies, if any, or the need to formulate such policies. Domains common to indicators that have been proposed include measures of income security, health status, capability, enabling environment, equity and cohesion (9). Although there are common items that are applicable to many countries, such as the Active Ageing Index study carried out in the European Union (10), the Global Age Watch Index comparing 96 countries world-wide (11), and the Ageing Society Index (or Hartford Ageing Index) mainly covering the USA and Europe (12), application of these indices to countries with different cultures and health and social care systems may not be appropriate, especially in the context of intercountry comparisons, and that countries ma
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