AIMS: To compare the self-perception of health status between rural and urban elderly and their possible associated factors.METHODS: The study consisted of a secondary analysis of data from the National Health Survey of 2013, conducted by the National Institute of Geography and Statistics, which included elderly who lived in rural and urban environments. The dependent variable was the self-perception of health status (evaluated as very good, good, fair, bad and very bad); and the independent variables were socio-demographic factors, clinical data, functionality of the elderly and household data. Relationships between the variables were tested by the chi-square test, and adjusted by self-perception of health status. The analysis were performed through the Epi InfoTM program version 7.2.1, accepting p<0.05 as significant.RESULTS: Rural elderly people were predominantly males, brown, married, illiterate and gainfully employed, despite having a low economic class. Among the rural elderly, self-perceived health status was more often regular or poor, the household was more often enrolled in the Family Health Strategy and most had no complementary health plan. Rural elderly also had better performance in the Basic Activities of Daily Living and worse performance in the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, had less depressive symptoms and less multimorbidity. Rural elderly presented lower chances of self-perception of good or very good health, even adjusting for gender, race, marital status, occupation, socioeconomic class, coverage by the Family Health Strategy, depressive symptoms, multimorbidity, and performance in the Basic Activities of Daily Living.CONCLUSIONS: The rural elderly have worse self-perception of health status than the urban elderly, even controlling socio-demographic, economic, clinical and health access characteristics.
Comparison of modifiable risk factors for dementia among rural and urban elderly adults: Data from two cohorts in India
