ArticleBMC geriatrics2024
Goal setting in later life: an international comparison of older adults' defined goals.
Article in BMC geriatrics, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- What really matters to older adults in life and treatment: a qualitative study on the role of connectedness in person-centered care.BMC geriatrics · 2026Article
- Conceptualization and implementation of community social prescribing evaluation: a case study of the co-designedFrontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Effects of reablement on home-dwelling older adults' physical functioning: a quasi-experimental study in primary healthcare.Aging clinical and experimental research · 2025Article
- Striving for purposeful autonomy: a qualitative method to enhance autonomy measurement in older adults.BMC geriatrics · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundStudies of goal setting in later life tend to focus on health-related goal setting, are pre-determined by the researcher (i.e., tick box), and/or are focused on a specific geographical area (i.e., one country). This study sought to understand broader, long-term goals from the perspective of older adults (65 + years) from Australia, New Zealand (NZ), United Kingdom (UK), Ireland, Canada, and the United States of America (USA).
methodsThrough a cross-sectional, online survey (N = 1,551), this exploratory study examined the qualitative goal content of older adults. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data, and bivariate analyses were used to compare thematic differences between regions and by participants' sex.
resultsOver 60% of the participants reported setting goals, and participants from the Australia-NZ and Canada-USA regions were more likely to set goals than the UK-Ireland region. The following six overarching themes were identified from the 946 goals reported: health and well-being; social connections and engagement; activities and experiences; finance and employment; home and lifestyle; and attitude to life.
conclusionsThis study supports previous research that demonstrates that older adults can and do set personal goals that are wide ranging. These findings support the need for health professionals to consider different methods for elucidating this important information from older adults that builds rapport and focuses on aspects viewed as more important by the older adult and therefore potentially produces improved health outcomes.
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