Determinants of Self-assessed Health among Elderly Adults

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Self-assessed health is a crude and simple measure which was used as a summary of an individual's general state of health. In this study, we examined the relationship between comprehensive variables and self-assessed health and identified the major determinants of self-assessed health among community dwelling elderly. METHODS: We performed a study on variables using comprehensive geriatric assessment in 308 elderly people who visited the department of family medicine or the department physical medicine and rehabilitation of 11 university hospitals or general hospitals in Korea from July 1, 1999 through October 31, 1999. The association of self-assessed health and variables was examined by X2-test and multiple linear regression analysis. For dependent variable a question "How would you describe your health now?" was used and the subjects responded from these categories very good, good, fair, poor, and very poor. The independent variables were sociodemographic characters, health behavior, diseases, physical and social function, family and social support. RESULTS: In the X2-test, self-assessed health was significantly associated with income, exercise, nutrition, number of disease, cardiac disease, cerebrovascular disease, fall, ADLs, IADLs, depression and social support. In the multiple linear regression analysis, majority of the explained variance in self-assessed health was nutrition, cardiac disease and depression. CONCLUSION: Self-assessed health among older adults was influenced by various factors. Based on the results, multidimensional approach needs to be developed to improve health.