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. 2025 Nov 19;25:928. doi: 10.1186/s12877-025-06623-z

Geriatric care knowledge and its determinants in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Lencho kajela Solbana 1,✉, Amanuel Oljira Dulo 2, Diriba Etana Tola 2, Birhanu Wogane Ilala 2, Guta Kune 3, Dereje Endale Mamo 4, Duguma Debela Ganeti 2, Birhanu Ayenew 2, Misganu Diriba 5, Tariku Bekelcho Keweti 6, Fidu Tasisa Olana 5, Wase Benti Hailu 1, Tesfaye Assebe Yadeta 7
PMCID: PMC12629062  PMID: 41257662

Abstract

Introduction

Increasing numbers of older people in Africa will sharply raise demand for geriatric and long-term care. Healthcare professionals’ knowledge of geriatric care is essential to improving care quality, yet studies across Africa report variable levels of knowledge. This study estimates the prevalence of geriatric care knowledge among African healthcare professionals and identifies its key determinants.

Method

We conducted a comprehensive search for primary observational studies on geriatric care in Africa using PubMed, AJOL, Web of Science, and Hinari databases and grey literature. Data were extracted and organized in Microsoft Excel, then analyzed using R version 4.2.2 and Stata version 17.0. Pooled prevalence and odds ratios were estimated using a random effect model with 95% confidence intervals. Results are presented in tables, figures, and statements.

Results

This study included 18 studies with 5,056 participants. The pooled prevalence of good geriatric care knowledge was 44% (95% CI: 33–55%). Its determinants were: level of education (POR = 2.04, 95% CI: 1.36, 3.07), geriatriccare training (POR = 3.04, 95% CI: 1.96, 4.69), work experience (POR = 2.18, 95% CI: 1.75, 2.72) and living with older people at home (POR = 2.09, 95% CI: 1.57, 2.79). No publication bias was detected in the analysis.

Conclusion

Only 44% of health professionals have good geriatric care knowledge, highlighting an urgent need to integrate geriatric content into pre-service curricula and on-the-job training, and to provide continuous and specialized education to strengthen capacity across African health systems.

Trial registration

PROSPERO: CRD42024608887. Registered on 14/11/2024.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-025-06623-z.

Keywords: Africa, Knowledge, Geriatric care, Determinants, Healthcare professional

Introduction

Global aging populations are increasing significantly, with life expectancy reaching 73.30 years [1]. In developing countries, the population of older people is projected to grow to 1.70 billion by 2050, up from 652 million in 2017 [2]. By 2050, 80% of this population group is expected to live in low- and middle-income countries, including Africa [3]. This shift is mainly due to lower mortality rates at younger ages and from infectious diseases [4]. This rapidly increasing number of older people will present challenges to healthcare systems in Africa [5]. Older people require more extensive health services, as they are at risk for debilitating health conditions that often lead to care dependency and increased hospitalization [6]. Therefore, healthcare systems should ensure access to both preventive and curative care for this population [7].

The United Nations has launched the Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021-2030) not merely as a ten-year initiative, but as a catalyst for a global paradigm shift, reframing ageing as a lifelong process that requires inclusive, sustained, and transformative action across all sectors of society [2]. Age-friendly environments empower older people to live with dignity [1]. However, Africa’s health system faces significant challenges, including ageism, resource shortage, poor organization and management, and limited health and social service packages [8].

Healthcare professionals need specialized knowledge to effectively meet the complex physical, mental, and emotional needs of older people [9]. This would improve the quality of care provided [10]. Poor understanding of older people’s care is associated with substandard care quality, extended hospital stays, unnecessary readmissions, increased morbidity, dependency, and higher mortality rates [10, 11]. Therefore, enhanced training and improved curricula focused on geriatric care are essential [12, 13]. A study of 25 medical schools in Africa revealed that only 4% offered geriatrics education, while 40% did not provide any training in geriatrics at all. The study identified major barriers, including inadequate staff expertise, insufficient funding, and the absence of geriatrics from national curricula [5].

Previous studies in Africa show inconsistent levels of Geriatric care knowledge among healthcare professionals, particularly Nurses and primary care physicians, as well as variability in both knowledge and application of older people-specific assessment tools. This study synthesized the fragmented data to provide evidence-based recommendations for policymakers and curriculum developers, aiming to improve geriatric care across Africa.

Objective of the study

  • To determine the pooled prevalence of geriatric care knowledge in Africa.

  • To identify determinants of geriatric care knowledge in Africa.

Methods and materials

Protocol and guideline

The study was registered in PROSPERO with the record number of CRD42024608887. The PRISMA 2020 updated guideline was followed to report the findings [14]. A freely accessible R package and Shiny app were used to present the screening results of the reports in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines [15].

Search strategy and eligibility criteria

A comprehensive search was conducted using both published and grey literature. The search covered these databases: PubMed, AJOL, Web of Science, and Hinari. Additional sources included references from identified studies, Google Scholar, Google searches, and research repositories. The search terms included keywords such as “prevalence,” “knowledge,” “Geriatric care,” “older people care,” “Health Services for the Aged“[Mesh], “associated factor,” and “determinant,” combined using Boolean operators (“AND” and “OR”). Three authors (LKS, WB, and DDG) performed the search. After gathering the results in EndNote 7.0, duplicates were removed. Then, three authors (LKS, AOD, and BWI) independently screened study titles and abstracts, resolving any disagreements by consensus. Full texts were evaluated using predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Inclusion criteria

  • Study Area: Africa.

  • Study Designs: Cohort, case-control, cross-sectional, and mixed.

  • Outcome Measures: Geriatric care knowledge and/or its determinants.

  • Language: English.

  • Population: Pre-service training and in-service.

  • Publication Status: Both published and grey literature.

Exclusion criteria

Studies with unclear primary outcome measurement tools, conference papers, scoping reviews, and commentaries.

Quality assessment

The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) for cross-sectional studies was used to assess study quality [16]. Three authors (TBK, DDG, and FT) independently rated each study, resolving disagreements through discussion. The NOS tool evaluates seven domains: representativeness, sample size, non-response rate, ascertainment, comparability, outcome, and statistical test. Each domain received a maximum of one point, except for ascertainment and outcome, which could receive up to two points each. Based on the total score, studies were classified as high quality (score ≥ 7) and low quality (score < 7) [17–21]. Only high-quality studies were included in the meta-analysis.

Data extraction process

A standardized data extraction format was created in Microsoft Excel. It was piloted and modified for final use. Three authors (LKS, GKM, and DE) independently extracted data using this format. The format included study identifiers, publication year, study area, study design, participant, and determinants (level of education, Geriatric care training, work experience, and history of living with older people at home). To estimate the prevalence of good geriatric care knowledge from primary studies, the numerator represented the number of participants with good geriatric care knowledge, and the denominator represented the total sample size. The consistency of all extracted data was verified, with any discrepancies resolved through discussion among the authors. The consistency of the extracted data was checked, and disagreements were resolved through discussion.

Outcomes

  • Geriatric care knowledge.

  • Determinants of geriatric care knowledge.

The following determinants were considered after carefully reading the included studies:

  • Level of education: Bachelor of Science (BSc) and above versus Diploma.

  • Geriatric care training: yes versus no.

  • Work experience : >5years versus ≤ 5 years.

  • Living with older people at home: yes versus no.

Data analysis

Study findings were summarized in tables and analyzed using R Studio 4.2.3 and Stata 17.0. Heterogeneity was considered significant when Cochrane’s Q test p-value was < 0.1 and I² was ≥ 75% [22]. Due to identified heterogeneity, all analyses used a random effects model. The Meta R package was utilized to pool the prevalence of good geriatric care knowledge with 95% confidence intervals (CI), while STATA was used to estimate pooled odds ratios with 95% CI. To address heterogeneity, we conducted subgroup analyses by study area, profession type, and participant status (pre-service/in-service) as well as a Meta-regression analysis. Publication bias was evaluated through funnel plot symmetry assessment and Egger’s and Begg’s statistical tests. The leave-one-out sensitivity analysis [23] method confirmed the robustness of findings by identifying any influential studies (Fig. 6).

Fig. 6.

Fig. 6

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A leave-one-out sensitivity analysis output, 2025

Results

Study selection and quality assessment

Of the 197 studies identified, 34 duplicates were removed. After further inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, 18 were included in the meta-analysis. Five studies were excluded, having low quality [17–21]. Fig. 1 depicts a PRISMA flowchart of studies’ screening, eligibility, and inclusion.

Fig. 1.

Fig. 1

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PRISMA flow chart of geriatric care knowledge in Africa

Study characteristics

All the studies were cross-sectional and published from 2017 to 2024. Eight studies were done in Ethiopia [13, 24–30], three in Egypt [31–33], two in Nigeria [34, 35], two in Ghana [36, 37], and the remaining three were each in South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia [38–40]. Six studies were conducted on pre-service training programs for Nursing and Medical professionals [28, 31–33, 35, 39], and the remaining 12 were on in-service [13, 24–27, 29, 30, 34, 36–38, 40] (Table 1).

Table 1.

Characteristics of the studies included in the meta-analysis

Study, year Area Design Profession Status GK Total RR QS A tool for measuring the outcome
Abdu. M 2024 [24] Ethiopia CS Nursing Inservice 176 339 98.30 9 KOP-Q
Abera. W 2024 [25] Ethiopia CS Nursing Inservice 143 365 97.80 8 KOP-Q and OPACS
Amoateng. E 2024[36] Ghana CS Medical Inservice 4 67 83.60 8 KOP-Q
Amsalu ET 2021 [13] Ethiopia CS Nursing Inservice 143 335 96.26 8 KOP-Q
Argaw. Z 2018 [26] Ethiopia CS Nursing Inservice 131 457 96.00 8 KOP-Q & OPACS
Faronbi JO 2017 [35] Nigeria CS Medical Preservice 160 280 100 8 FAQ-2
Fita. F 2021 [29] Ethiopia CS Nursing Inservice 153 411 97.16 9 KOP-Q and OPACS
Hassan. HH 2021[32] Egypt CS Nursing Preservice 40 180 100 7 FAQ2
Kebede. C 2024 [27] Ethiopia CS Nursing Inservice 163 285 98.20 8 KOP-Q
Khaton. SE 2022[31] Egypt CS Nursing Preservice 210 345 100 7 KOP-Q
Mitike. H 2023 [30] Ethiopia CS Nursing Inservice 140 451 94.40 8 KOP-Q and OPACS
Mohammed. RF2019[33] Egypt CS Nursing Preservice 71 320 100 8 GKAS
Muhsin.AA2020 [38] Tanzania CS Nursing Inservice 69 393 100 8 FAQ2
Muvwimi ST 2017 [40] Zambia CS Nursing Inservice 106 148 100 8 FAQ2
Naidoo. K 2021 [39] S/Africa CS Medical Preservice 98 173 79.00 7 FAQ2
Opeyem. AM 2024[34] Nigeria CS Nursing Inservice 56 64 100 8 GKAS
Salia. SM 2022 [37] Ghana CS Nursing Inservice 126 142 95.00 7 OPACS and GKAS
Sema. FD 2024 [28] Ethiopia CS Medical Preservice 37 301 87.20 8 GKAS and OPACS
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CS Cross-sectional, GK Good knowledge, RR Response rate, KOP-Q Knowledge of Older Patients Quiz, OPACS Older patient in acute care survey, GKAS Geriatric Knowledge Assessment Scale, FAQ2 Facts on Aging Quiz 2

Tools for measuring geriatric care knowledge

Five assessment tools were identified for measuring geriatric care knowledge: Knowledge of Older Patients Quiz (KOP-Q), Older Patient in Acute Care Survey (OPACS), Geriatric Knowledge Assessment Scale (GKAS), and Facts on Aging Quiz 2 (FAQ2).

Prevalence of good geriatric care knowledge

This study included 18 studies with 5,056 participants. The pooled prevalence of good geriatric care knowledge was 44% (95% CI = 33–55%). High heterogeneity was identified (I2 = 99%, p-value < 0.01) (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2.

Fig. 2

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Pooled prevalence of geriatric care knowledge in Africa, 2025

Sub-group analysis

Subgroup analysis revealed significant geographic variations. Higher prevalence of good geriatric care knowledge in Zambia and Nigeria, and lower in Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Egypt. This geographic variation also showed high heterogeneity (I² = 99%, p-value < 0.01) (Fig. 3).

Fig. 3.

Fig. 3

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Pooled knowledge on geriatric care Across African Ccuntries 2025

Determinants of geriatric care knowledge

Significant determinants of geriatric care knowledge were higher education (POR = 2.04, 95% CI 1.36–3.07), > 5 years of work experience (POR = 2.18, 95% CI 1.75–2.72), living with older people (POR = 2.09, 95% CI 1.57–2.79), and having received geriatric-care training (POR = 3.04, 95% CI 1.96–4.69) (Fig. 4).

Fig. 4.

Fig. 4

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Determinants of geriatric care knowledge in Africa, 2025

Publication bias

Egger’s and Begg’s statistical tests showed no significant publication bias (p = 0.059), and the funnel plot was symmetrical (Fig. 5), confirming the absence of publication bias.

Fig. 5.

Fig. 5

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Symmetry of funnel plot, 2025

Sensitivity analysis

A leave-one-out sensitivity analysis confirmed that no single study had an outlier effect on the pooled prevalence. All individual study estimates fell within the confidence interval of the final results (Fig. 6).

Discussion

44% of participants had good geriatric care knowledge. Five validated instruments were used across studies (Knowledge of Older Patients Quiz (KOP-Q), Older Patient in Acute Care Survey (OPACS), Geriatric Knowledge Assessment Scale (GKAS), and Facts on Aging Quiz 2 (FAQ2)). In the included studies, data were collected through self-reports and face-to-face interviews.

This study found that the level of geriatric care knowledge varies across African countries. This might be due to differences in health infrastructure, curricula, and healthcare policies [5]. As the population of older people increases, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Egypt need to strengthen strategies that improve the geriatric care knowledge of professionals. Although Africa’s older population is increasing [41], this study identified that geriatric care knowledge remains low.

Poor understanding of older people’s care is associated with substandard care quality, extended hospital stays, unnecessary readmissions, increased morbidity, dependency, and higher mortality rates [10, 11]. Previous studies have shown that geriatric-focused courses significantly improve care knowledge [42]. Therefore, there is a need for continuous education and additional training for African healthcare professionals to ensure quality geriatric care knowledge [42].

Professionals with BSc degrees or higher demonstrated twice the likelihood of possessing good geriatric care knowledge compared to diploma holders. This finding is supported by studies from Hong Kong [43], USA [44], and Jordan [45]. Advanced education enhances curriculum content, mentorship opportunities with senior staff, and improved approaches to geriatric patient care during internships [46, 47]. Therefore, creating educational advancement opportunities for diploma holders would improve both patient outcomes and professional satisfaction in geriatric care settings.

Healthcare professionals with geriatric care training were 3.04 times more likely to possess good geriatric care knowledge. This finding is consistent with studies from Egypt [48], Taiwan [42], and Arizona State University [49]. Regular training enhances understanding of older adults’ needs, thereby improving the quality of care [50]. Therefore, it is recommended that geriatric training be integrated into all professional programs [51] and encouraged as a career path to further enhance the quality of geriatric care [12, 46].

Participants with over 5 years of experience were 2.18 times more likely to have good geriatric care knowledge, and living with older persons increased this likelihood by 2.09 times. These findings align with studies from the USA [44], Brazil, India, Iran [52], and Sweden [53]. Increased experience and exposure improve the recognition of older adults’ needs and physiological changes, enhancing care. Thus, ward rotations and assigning experienced staff to older people care are recommended to better address their healthcare needs.

Limitations of the study

This comprehensive study provided recent information about the level of knowledge among healthcare professionals regarding geriatric care in Africa. However, it has some limitations. Factors such as the presence of geriatric specialization by country were not identified due to a lack of previous studies. In addition, the review was limited to the English language. Furthermore, the high level of heterogeneity among the included studies in the review may limit the generalizability of the findings. Further research is needed to address these gaps.

Conclusion and recommendations

Only 44% of health professionals have good geriatric care knowledge, indicating an urgent need to strengthen geriatric training and capacity across African health systems. Key determinants included education level, work experience, geriatric care training, and experience of living with older people. Based on these findings, we recommend the following:

  • Implement ward rotations and assign experienced staff to better meet the needs of older people.

  • Integrate geriatric care training into all healthcare professional programs.

  • Create advancement opportunities for diploma holders to enhance patient outcomes.

  • Provide continuous education and additional training for African healthcare professionals to ensure quality of care for older people.

Supplementary Information

Supplementary Material 1. (30.7KB, docx)
Supplementary Material 2. (24.6KB, docx)

Acknowledgements

Authors aknowledge the sources of all primary studies.

Abbreviations

AJOL

African journals online

BSc

Bachelor of Science

POR

Pooled odds ratio

PRISMA

Preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis

NOS

Newcastle-Ottawa Scale

WHO

World Health Organization

Authors’ contributions

LKS conceptualized the study, designed the methods, wrote the protocol, searched, screened, and critically evaluated the studies, extracted the data, analysed the data, and wrote the manuscript. TBK, DDG, MD, and FT rated the quality appraisal. GK, DET, TAY, and DEM extracted the necessary data and prepared the manuscript. AOD, WBH, TAY, BWI, and BA prepared a data extraction checklist, screened the identified studies, and reviewed the manuscript.

Funding

The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Data availability

The data set used in this study can be accessed from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Not applicable.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Footnotes

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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Associated Data

This section collects any data citations, data availability statements, or supplementary materials included in this article.

Supplementary Materials

Supplementary Material 1. (30.7KB, docx)
Supplementary Material 2. (24.6KB, docx)

Data Availability Statement

The data set used in this study can be accessed from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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