BACKGROUND

More than 700 million people in the world are over age 65. More than 240 million of them live in the Western Pacific Region, and that number is expected to double by 2050. The pace of ageing is accelerating in the Region due to improvements in life expectancy and declining fertility rates. 

WPRO RCM adopted the Regional action plan on healthy ageing in the Western Pacific (RAP) in October 2020 and requested WHO to support countries to prepare for population ageing. The RAP aims to support Member States to improve the health and well-being of older populations in the Western Pacific Region so that they thrive and contribute to their societies. The Plan is guided by a multisectoral, future-oriented and lifelong approach that adopts an equity approach and utilizes existing assets to the extent possible.

Objective four of the RAP encourages Member States to foster technological and social innovation to promote healthy ageing. Nutrition is a crucial aspect of non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention and management, as well as healthy ageing. Nutrition-related risk and low physical activity account for a large proportion of the top risk factors ranked in terms of years of life lost (YLL) in 2040 for people between the ages of 50 and 69 in the Western Pacific region. Technological approaches including Internet of Things (IoT), wearables and apps promise to provide solutions for continuously monitoring of activity and nutrition of older people to support personalized health management. There is a need to better understand how older people: a. perceive their health current status, believe necessary to improve it, believe it can be improved b. would like to improve their health status through making healthier nutritional intake/choices and/or enhancing their physical activity c. would prefer to do that with the aid of technology (IoT/wearables) d. would need community/social support (including nudges embedded in their daily life)

PURPOSE/SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE OF THE ACTIVITY

Support AGE with understanding how older people would like to make use of technology for their health behaviour change

DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES TO BE CARRIED OUT

Output 1. Focus group discussions with older people to understand how older people: a. perceive their health current status, believe necessary to improve it, believe it can be improved b. would like to improve their health status through making healthier nutritional intake/choices and/or enhancing their physical activity c. would prefer to do that with the aid of technology (IoT/wearables) d. would need community/social support (including nudges embedded in their daily life)

Deliverable 1.1 Literature search summary to guide focus group discussion topics and questions (background information based on currently available evidence from peer-reviewed journals)

Deliverable 1.2 Proposal on how the focus groups will be conducted (including logistics, study design, questions, etc.)

Deliverable 1.3 Final report on findings from focus groups and suggestions on alternative options/directions in creating a health behaviour change among older people

METHODS TO CARRY OUT THE ACTIVITY

Literature search (online database)

Conduct in person focus groups in Beijing, China and/or Shanghai, China

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

EDUCATION

Essential:  An agency/ organization/ institution/ a company with extensive background on Health sciences, digital health, academic background

EXPERIENCE

Essential: Proven experience in health and technological approaches especially on older people.

Extensive experience conducting research studies on older people’s health.

TECHNICAL SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE

Advanced understanding of digital technology application in the health sector and older people’s health. Knowledge on health behaviour interventions.

LANGUAGES

Fluent in written and spoken English/Chinese (local dialect spoken at the chosen research site)

COMPETENCIES

• • Communicating in a credible and effective way
• • Producing results
• • Fostering integration and teamwork

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• • WHO will review all the proposals and take the best proposal, based on the prevailing industry rates.
• • Implementation location will be in China.
• • Duration of contract is for 3 months

APPLICATIONS

Qualified and interested specialists should submit their Company Profile {for institutional applications}, Expression of Interest {cover letter} and project proposal with cost to the Supply Officer through WP RO UNGM at < [email protected] > by 13 August 2021. 

The cover letter should outline how their experience and qualifications make them a suitable candidate for this position and should include their proposed daily fee and availability.

Please use Tender Notice No. 135731 as subject to all submission. Only successful candidates will be contacted.