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Implementation of the World Health Organization Age-Friendly Principles: A Case Study from Portugal.
Jéssica Tavares1, Gonçalo Santinha1, Nelson Pacheco Rocha2
1Research Unit on Governance, Competitiveness and Public Policies (GOVCOPP), Department of Social, Political and Territorial Sciences, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
Summary
Most Portuguese healthcare units are unaware of the World Health Organization's (WHO) Age-Friendly Principles. Implementation is low, particularly in training and management, hindering better health outcomes for older adults.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology and Public Health
- Healthcare Management
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Global demographic shifts highlight the need for healthcare systems to address the complex health needs of aging populations.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) established Age-Friendly Principles in 2004 to guide healthcare adaptation, yet their practical integration remains unclear.
- Portugal's National Health Service (NHS) is beginning to prioritize age-friendly healthcare, creating a timely opportunity to assess current practices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the awareness and implementation of the WHO Age-Friendly Principles within the Portuguese National Health Service (NHS).
- To identify barriers and facilitators to adopting age-friendly healthcare strategies in primary and hospital care settings.
- To provide evidence-based recommendations for enhancing the health outcomes and performance of health units serving older adults.
Main Methods:
- A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was conducted among primary care directors and hospital administrators.
- The study encompassed 173 health units within the Portuguese NHS.
- The questionnaire assessed awareness of WHO Principles and the extent of their implementation across various domains.
Main Results:
- A significant majority of respondents (71%) were unaware of the WHO Age-Friendly Principles.
- Most administrators (80%) did not perceive the current organizational structure as a barrier to care provision.
- Implementation rates for WHO Principles were low, especially for professional training (50%) and management systems (28%), contrasting with higher implementation in the physical environment (64%).
Conclusions:
- There is a critical need for increased dissemination and targeted support to implement WHO Age-Friendly Principles across the Portuguese NHS.
- Improving training and management systems is essential for effective adoption of age-friendly healthcare.
- Enhanced implementation is crucial for improving health outcomes for older adults and optimizing health unit performance.
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