Page 116 - IJPS-11-1

International Journal of
Population Studies Developing individual active aging measurement tool

In doing so, a recurrent problem in the literature will be to have coffee, perform exercise, read newspapers, or
overcome, namely, the partial study of the concept of active arrange issues related to the municipality, as well as clinics,
aging. Second, it aims to construct a personal active aging around hospitals, or markets. Regarding the habitat, 59.2%
index that allows quantification of this concept. The goal is are residents of a rural/semi-rural area, whereas 40.8%
to achieve a procedure that allows us to create a quantitative are from an urban/semi-urban area. Thirty percent of
continuous variable, which can provide richer information the respondents did not complete primary studies, 32.9%
than only establishing if somebody ages actively or not completed primary education, 21.0% completed secondary
(Perales et al., 2014). For instance, this could help evaluate education, and 16.1% completed tertiary education. In
the efficacy of initiatives related to active aging promotion. terms of marital status, 9.2% were single, 58.1% married,
In doing so, an individual measuring tool will be provided 3.0% divorced, and 29.7% widowed.
that allows the quantification of the active aging of people, 2.2. Variables and measures
the value of the dimensions composing the index, and the
identification of the improvement areas of each person. The variables included in the questionnaire were chosen
Thus, an efficacy assessment of the initiatives implemented based on a literature review (Marsillas, 2016) and assessed
to promote active aging was conducted and improved with the ten broad dimensions of: (i) health (objective and
the information provided. Third, the descriptive results subjective health), (ii) functionality (basic and instrumental
for older adults living in Galicia (Spain) in terms of active daily activities), (iii) cognitive state, (iv) affective state,
aging are shared. (v) social state (social and family perceived support,
frequency of outdoor social contact), (vi) Information
2. Methods and Communication Technologies (ICT) use, (vii) lifelong
2.1. Study sample learning, (viii) employment, (ix) participation in society,
and (x) leisure activities, as well as sociodemographic
The study methodology was based on a survey of a variables (age, gender, habitat, marital status, education,
representative sample of community-dwelling residents and income).
aged 60 years and over in Galicia, Spain. In Galicia, 804,403
inhabitants are aged ≥ 60 years, representing 29.2% of the The dimensions of active aging were measured using
total population. Structured interviews were conducted different scales. Functionality was evaluated using the
by experienced psychologists using a questionnaire. The Barthel Index (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.83) (Mahoney &
sample size was calculated based on the population size Barthel, 1965) and Lawton and Brody Scale (Cronbach’s
alpha = 0.92) (Lawton & Brody, 1969); cognitive status
and a 95% confidence level with a 5% margin of error. The
sampling selection was made through the county register, was measured using the Mini-Examen Cognoscitivo, the
and a two-stage sampling was chosen: conglomerates for Spanish version of the Mini-Mental State Examination
the selection of the first-level units (municipalities) and (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.73) (Lobo et al., 1999); affective
quotas according to the habitat (urban/semi-urban vs. status as part of mental health was measured using
rural/semi-rural), gender, and age group (60 – 74 years the positive affect scale of the Affective Balance Scale
(Cronbach’s alpha = 0.76) (Godoy-Izquierdo et al., 2008);
vs. 75 or older) for the selection of the second-level units different leisure activities were measured using items from
(individuals). No personal data were requested, and Scarmeas et al. (2003) and by adding two more items;
anonymity and confidentiality were guaranteed. Ethical participation in society and employment were assessed
review and approval were waived for this study because the with several items from the Active Aging Index (Zaidi
data collected in the study were anonymous and according et al., 2013). Health was assessed using seven items created
to the Organic Law on Personal Data Protection and for this study, ICT use was measured using three items,
Guarantee of Digital Rights (Article 2.2. LOPD 3/2018). including one from Zaidi et al. (2013), and social state was
The participants were informed about the aim of the evaluated using a scale created for this study (Cronbach’s
research and provided verbal consent. Participation in the alpha = 0.83) by combining selected items from Zaidi
study was voluntary. et al. (2013), the Spanish version of the Duke-UNC-11 scale
Based on the population distribution, the final sample (Bellón et al., 1996a), and modified items from the Spanish
was composed of 404 individuals (176 men and 228 version of the Family APGAR (Bellón et al., 1996b).
women; mean age = 72.6 years and range = 60 – 94 years),
recruited directly by interviewers in different community 2.3. Statistical analysis
facilities regarding those venues where people of different Based on the statistical model of active aging that has
profiles usually attended. In this sense, we included social already been tested and published (Marsillas et al.,
centers, which are oriented toward older people to meet 2017), a composite index was constructed following the

Volume 11 Issue 1 (2025) 110 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.428