Perspectives on healthy aging in middle age: Evidence for health promotion interventions

Understanding how middle-aged people perceive healthy aging and what they need to do to stay healthy as they age can help public policy planning to enhance the lifestyles of middle-aged and elderly people.

The purpose of this study was to clarify the concept of healthy aging and strategies to achieve it from the perspective of middle-aged people in Tehran, Iran.

This qualitative study was performed on 21 middle-aged people aged 45-59 years of Tehran in 2019.

The data collection was carried out through semi-structured and in-depth interviews; the interviews were audiotaped, transcribed. Sampling was carried out gradually until data saturation through purposive sampling was achieved.

Data collection and analysis were performed simultaneously. Data were analyzed using conventional content analysis. To establish the reliability and validity of findings, Graneheim and Landman criteria were considered.

The middle-aged perspective on healthy aging was included in four main themes: having good physical and mental health, having financial well-being, having social support. Strategies for achieving healthy aging were included in five themes: future financial planning, promoting physical health, promoting psychological health, maintaining and improving communication.

From the middle-aged perspective, healthy aging and strategies to achieve it are multidimensional. Planning for promotional interventions to have a healthy old age should be including all dimensions and done from the years before old age.