Age-Friendly Cities Performance Assessment Indicators System Validation

Francisco Alves Pinheiro^1*, Miguel Tato Diogo², Joaquim Eduardo Sousa Góis³, Constança Paúl⁴

¹Department of Production Engineering, Federal University of San Francisco Valley, Juazeiro, Brazil.
²Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
³Faculty of Engineering, Porto University, Porto, Portugal.
⁴Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, UNIFAI/ICBAS, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.

DOI: 10.4236/psych.2015.65060                

Abstract

This study aimed to validate a set of indicators that can contribute to producing a diagnostic about the living conditions of the elderly population in the cities, serving as a powerful tool for decision making. The methodology adopted was the adaptation of the “Diagnostic content validation model”, Fehring, published in 1987. The system of indicators was based on the concept of active ageing and its determinants. Of the 38 indicators analyzed by the experts as to their appropriateness and relevance for the diagnosis and monitoring of the performance of cities to be friends of the elderly, 17 were considered critical, 19 supplementary and 2 were considered inadequate and irrelevant, being excluded from the system. Then the reliability of the questionnaire through Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was calculated. The indicators proved to be useful in classifying age-friendly cities worldwide.

Keywords

Active Aging, Age-Friendly Cities, Decision Making, Indicator System, Validating Indicators

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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