Self-perceived health among older men living in their own residence : a four year follow-up study

• This study characterize older men, who perceived themselves as healthy, with focus on demographical, social, medical and functional factors, and describe changes within the healthy group over time and find predictors of self-perceived health. The study has a prospective design and included 303 men, 75 and 80 years old, living in a municipality in the south of Sweden. Data collection took place 2001-2006 in a total of three – five examinations at an interval of one year. The examinations included questionnaires validated and tested for reliability, assessing the nutritional status, (Mini Nutritional Assessment), symptoms of depression (Geriatric Depression Scale-20), cognitive function (Mini Mental State Examination), health-related quality of life (Nottingham Health Profile), wellbeing (Philadelphia Geriatric Centre Multilevel Assessment Instrument), demographic factors, physical- and biochemical assessments. The men were divided into two groups according to their self-perceived health, 58% (n=175) perceived themselves as healthy and 42% n=128) as less healthy. Good physical health, the ability to walk a distance outdoors, an ability to maintain a social network and having energy were factors important to feeling healthy among men at baseline. Analyses at the follow-ups included men whom still perceived themselves as healthy and men who perceived their health as being impaired. Seventy five percent (n=132) of the healthy group at baseline still perceived themselves as healthy at the first follow-up. Important factors for a self perceived good health when growing older were feeling mentally well and being able to walk up and downstairs. These results indicated that areas representing the individuals own perception and ability are important to feel healthy.

Nyckelord

MEDICINE

MEDICIN

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

ovr (ämneskategori)