Journal article
Age-friendliness of a provincial city: Results from the validation of the AFCCQ for use in a New Zealand context
Urban Studies, Vol.Advanced access
07-May-2026
Abstract
The global ageing phenomenon poses significant challenges for urban and community planning, leading to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Age-friendly Cities and Communities (AFCC) initiative to support older adults in ageing well within their homes and neighbourhoods. In Aotearoa New Zealand, the AFCC framework has been integrated into national policy; however, locally validated tools for assessing the age-friendliness of local communities are not available. This study aimed to validate the Age-friendly Cities and Communities Questionnaire for New Zealand (AFCCQ-NZ) and to evaluate age-friendliness in Napier City, where 21.1% of residents are aged 65 years or older. A two-phase design was employed. Phase 1 established face and content validity through consultation with policy experts and older adults to ensure cultural and linguistic relevance. Phase 2 involved psychometric validation using confirmatory factor analysis, resulting in a 23-item instrument encompassing the eight WHO AFCC domains plus an additional domain on perceived financial wellbeing. The AFCCQ-NZ demonstrated excellent model fit and internal consistency. Survey data from 354 older adults indicated moderate to high satisfaction with age-friendly features, with housing rated most positively and transportation, community support, health services and financial situation rated lowest. Cluster analysis identified five distinct resident typologies, revealing heterogeneity in older adults’ experiences. The AFCCQ-NZ offers a robust tool for assessing age-friendliness and informing local planning. The findings underscore the importance of the authentic and genuine engagement and inclusion of older adults in the age-friendly planning, implementation and evaluation process.
Details
- Title
- Age-friendliness of a provincial city: Results from the validation of the AFCCQ for use in a New Zealand context
- Authors
- Stephen Neville (Corresponding Author) - University of the Sunshine CoastMichele Grigg - Napier City Council (New Zealand)Jeffery Adams - Eastern Institute of TechnologyJeroen Dikken - The Hague University of Applied SciencesJoost van Hoof - The Hague University of Applied Sciences
- Publication details
- Urban Studies, Vol.Advanced access
- Publisher
- Sage Publications Ltd.
- DOI
- 10.1177/00420980261443199
- ISSN
- 1360-063X
- Copyright note
- © Urban Studies Journal Limited 2026. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits any use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).
- Organisation Unit
- Healthy Ageing Research Cluster; School of Health - Nursing
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991228950602621
- Output Type
- Journal article
Metrics
1 Record Views