Health-related needs and indicators of an age-friendly city: a survey from the perspective of older adults in a province in Southeastern Iran.

BACKGROUND: The growing aging population is a significant global achievement. Addressing the specific needs of the older adults and creating age-friendly cities are essential priorities. This study aimed to identify health-related needs and indicators of an age-friendly city from the perspective of older adults in a province in southeastern Iran. METHODS: This descriptive-cross-sectional study was conducted on 1,000 older adults in Kerman province. Participants were selected through multi-stage sampling. Three questionnaires were used to collect data: the demographic questionnaire, the Camberwell Assessment of Need for the Elderly, and the World Health Organization’s questionnaire of age-friendly city indicators. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive and inferential statistics in SPSS 26. RESULTS: The study results revealed that older adults perceived alcohol and self-care as the highest and lowest levels of no needs. Additionally, physical health and benefits obtained the highest frequencies for met and unmet needs, respectively. Friends/relatives mostly helped with self-care but did not help with benefits. In contrast, statutory services provided help with accidental self-harm but did not help with physical health. Age-friendly city indicators in Kerman province were found to be suboptimal, with the Community Support and Health Services index scoring the highest and Transportation index scoring the lowest. CONCLUSION: This study offers valuable insights into the health-related needs and indicators of an age-friendly city for older adults in a province in Iran. The results can guide managers, policymakers, and planners in developing effective strategies for elderly care at both national and regional levels.