The Development of a Well-Being Environment and Age-Friendly Communities Assessment Criteria Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process: A Case of Thailand

Abstract

Assessment tools that promote well-being, widely used internationally, often focus on general populations, and lack specific indicators for older individuals, whose environmental needs differ from the general population. This paper presents a comprehensive approach to reviewing and selecting indicators necessary for creating community environments that enhance not only the well-being of people in general but also age-friendliness. The approach aligns with international standards while catering to the specific needs of Thailand. A methodology was employed to identify minimum standard indicators, carefully selected by a panel of 15 qualified experts from various fields. Subsequently, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) technique was used to establish a weighting system among relevant main and sub-categories. The results indicated that the weight values of the 11 main categories and 43 criteria differ from international well-being community assessment tools because Thailand's Well-being Environment and Age-Friendly Community (ThaiWBAFC) must balance both well-being and age-friendly indicators. The main categories with the highest weights are (1) air quality (17.48%), (2) drinking water quality (17.38%), and (3) healthy food environment (15.47%). Additionally, it was found that indicators for older individuals should differ from those for other age groups due to factors such as age, physical health decline, income levels, literacy levels, and societal changes, resulting in different environmental needs. The experts recommended adding more indicators and eliminating inappropriate ones, such as those that need complex technology. Local government agencies in developing countries can benefit from using these criteria for self-assessment and improving the community's environment for older individuals.