Socio-economic characteristics, health status and access to health care in an elderly Moroccan community: study of the gender factor.

Abstract

Background: In Western societies, gender differences in health and health behavior are extensively documented, but less is known about gender health disparities in Morocco. Aging is not yet a research topic or a source of concern. However, the country will face significant demographic aging in the future.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate gender differences in indicators associated with socioeconomic status, health status, and access to health care among the elderly population of the El Jadida region in Morocco.

Material and methods: It is a cross-sectional study on a random sample of 537 persons, aged 60 and older (136 women and 401 men) from the El Jadida region.

Results: When compared to their male counterparts, older Moroccan women face a number of disadvantages, including lower levels of education and literacy, lower levels of employment, rising rates of widowhood and living alone, and a lower likelihood of receiving formal pension benefits. In terms of health status, half of older women do not have medical coverage, almost all feel more tired, and, in discomfort, half suffer from total and central obesity, with more visual, oral, and memory health problems. Older Moroccan men, on the other hand, have greater hypertension, smoke and consume more tobacco and alcohol, and are more anxious, depressed, and insomniac. Overall, for both sexes, the perception of self-rated health status was deemed poor, with three health problems reported per person. Many other demographic, psychosocial, and economic indicators were not significantly related to gender.

Conclusions: In Morocco, older people face a variety of problems that have a negative impact on their perception of aging. Furthermore, there are gender differences in socioeconomic status, prevalence, symptoms, and correlates of chronic diseases, health service use, and lifestyle. Longitudinal studies and immediate implementation of medical policy for this population are needed.