Gómez-Olivé et al. 2010 South Africa [6]	To describe factors associated with self-reported health, disability and quality of life of older people in the rural northeast of South Africa.	Purposive sampling 6206 aged	The study found that women of older ages, lower education, single status and not working at present reported lower health status. Women were also more likely to report a higher level of frailty, as were older people, those with no education, single status and unemployed. Older age, no education, single status, a low household asset score and unemployment were all associated with lower quality of life.	Not applicable
Debpuur et al. 2010 Ghana, [30]	To describe the health status and identify factors associated with self-rated health among older adults in a rural community in northern Ghana.	Purposive sampling 4584 aged	Older people in Ghana at the time of study rated their health status as good, with the oldest person reporting poorer health. Multivariate regression analysis showed that functional ability and sex were significant factors in self-rated health status. Adults with higher levels of functional disabilities were much more likely to rate their health as being poorer compared with those having lower disabilities. Household wealth was significantly associated with self-rated health, with wealthier adults more likely to rate their health as good.	No weakness seen
Kowal et al 2010 SSA/Asia (Eight countries) [39]	To provide an overview of the demographic and health characteristics of participating countries, describe the research collaboration and introduce the first dataset and outputs.	Purposive sampling Aged	People aged 50 years and over in the eight participating countries represent over 15% of the current global older population and are projected to reach 23% by 2030. The Asian health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) sites have a larger proportion of burden of disease from non-communicable diseases and injuries relative to their African counterparts. A pooled sample of over 46,000 persons aged 50 and over from these eight HDSS sites was produced. The Study on global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE) modules resulted in self-reported health, health status, functioning (from the WHO Disability Assessment Scale (WHODAS-II)) and well-being (from the WHO Quality of Life instrument (WHOQoL) variables). HDSS databases contributed age, sex, marital status, education, socio-economic status and household size variables.	Sample size was omitted
Kimuna et al 2007 South Africa [29]	Exploring the changing role of older people, which has been influenced by alterations in household structure and old age pension.	Secondary data – 2004 Mpumalanga Older People’s Survey	Findings showed that in 63% of matrifocal, multigenerational households, 76% of older people are the sole providers of household necessities, caring for the sick and grandchildren in increasingly skip-generation households.	No weakness identified
Gureje and Ogunniyi 2014 Nigeria [32]	To explore the level of disability and unmet needs for care among elderly persons living in sub-Saharan Africa.	Purposive sampling 2,152 Aged	Prevalence of any functional disability (defined as inability to independently perform any function) was 9.2%. Elevated risks of disability were associated with feminine gender, increasing age, and urban residence. Risks were also high for persons with chronic pain, those with poor self-reported overall health, and those with evidence of under-nutrition. Disabled persons had poorer quality of life and suffered from major depressive disorder; 19.8% of disabled elderly persons lacked any informal care and this unmet need for care increased the likelihood of having depression. The findings also suggested a high burden of unmet need for care among a large section of disabled elderly persons in this African community undergoing demographic and social changes. Social factors relating to urbanisation and poverty may be associated with both the occurrence of disability and inability to access informal care.	No weakness identified
Kyobutungi et al. 2009 Kenya [31]	To assess the effect of being directly or indirectly affected by HIV/AIDS on the health of older people in two Nairobi slums.	Purposive sampling 2696 Aged	Respondents reported being affected by HIV/AIDS in at least one way, while less than 1% reported being infected with HIV, Nearly 60% of respondents reported being in good health, 27% in fair health and 14% in poor health. Women reported worse outcomes than men. Respondents directly or indirectly affected by HIV/AIDS reported worse health outcomes than those not affected: Poor health outcomes among older people affected by HIV/AIDS highlighted the need for policies that target them in the fight against HIV/AIDS if they are to play their anticipated caregiving and other traditional roles.	No weakness identified