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Table 1 Operationalisation and coding of predictor variables

From: Predictors of healthcare utilisation among poor older people under the livelihood empowerment against poverty programme in the Atwima Nwabiagya District of Ghana

Variable

Operational Definition

Category

Code

Demographic Variables

 Gender [Dichotomous]

Being a male or female

Male

1

Female

2

 Age (years) [Ranked]

Number of years a respondent obtained at the last birthday

65–69

1

70–74

2

75–79

3

80–84

4

85–89

5

90 and above

6

 Ethnicity group [Nominal]

The ethnic background of respondent

Non- Akan

1

Akan

2

 Religion [Nominal]

Religious affiliation of respondent

Christianity

1

Islam

2

African Traditional Religion

3

 Marital status [Dichotomous]

Whether or not a respondent is married or single

Married

1

Single

2

Socio-economic variables

 Education [ranked]

A completed grade of educational level

No formal education

1

Basic school education

2

Senior high school education

3

College/tertiary

4

 Monthly income (GH¢) [Ranked]

Income of respondent every month comprising both cash and kind received from all sources within the month

200 or below

1

201.00–300.00

2

Above 300

3

 Health Insurance [dichotomous]

Whether or not a respondent has enrolled in health insurance before

Yes

1

No

0

 Family support [dichotomous]

Whether or not a respondent receives support from a family member

Yes

1

No

0

Health-related variables

 Past illness [Dichotomous]

Whether or not a respondent has been ill for the past three months

Yes

1

No

0

 Current health status [dichotomous]

Current rate of a respondent health status

Good Health

1

Poor Health

2

 Chronic non-communicable diseases(NCDs)[Dichotomous]

Whether or not a respondent has been diagnosed of any chronic NCDs

Yes

1

No

0

 Disability status [Dichotomous]

Whether or not a respondent has a disability

Yes

1

No

0

Health behaviour/lifestyle variables

 Engagement in physical activity [Dichotomous]

Whether or not a respondent has undertaken any physical activity for the past month

Yes

1

No

0

 Consumption of alcohol [Dichotomous]

Whether or not a respondent has consumed alcohol in the last year

Yes

1

No

0

 Consumption of Tobacco [Dichotomous]

Whether or not a respondent has smoked tobacco in the last one year

Yes

1

No

0

 Fruits intake [Dichotomous]

Whether or not a respondent consume the required serving of fruits in a day

Less than 5 servings of fruits per day

1

5 or more servings of fruits per day

2

 Vegetables intake [Dichotomous]

Whether or not a respondent consume the required serving of vegetables in a day

Less than 5 servings of vegetables per day

1

5 or more servings of vegetables per day

2