scholarly journals Is Subjective Health Reliable as a Proxy Variable for True Health? A Comparison of Self-rated Health and Self-assessed Change in Health among Middle-aged and Older South Koreans

2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 431-459 ◽  
Author(s):  
최요한
2021 ◽  
pp. jech-2020-214257
Author(s):  
J Mark Noordzij ◽  
Marielle A Beenackers ◽  
Joost Oude Groeniger ◽  
Erik Timmermans ◽  
Basile Chaix ◽  
...  

BackgroundStudies on associations between urban green space and mental health have yielded mixed results. This study examines associations of green space exposures with subjective health and depressed affect of middle-aged and older adults in four European cohorts.MethodsData came from four Western-European and Central-European ageing cohorts harmonised as part of the Mindmap project, comprising 16 189 adults with an average age of 50–71 years. Green space exposure was based on the distance to the nearest green space and the amount of green space within 800 m buffers around residential addresses. Cohort-specific and one-step individual participant data (IPD) meta-analyses were used to examine associations of green space exposures with subjective health and depressed affect.ResultsThe amount of green spaces within 800 m buffers was lowest for Residential Environment and CORonary heart Disease (Paris, 15.0 hectares) and highest for Health, Alcohol and Psychosocial factors In Eastern Europe (Czech Republic, 35.9 hectares). IPD analyses indicated no evidence of an association between the distance to the nearest green space and depressed affect (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.96 to 1.00) or good self-rated health (OR 1.01, 95% CI 0.99 to 1.02). Likewise, the amount of green space within 800 m buffers did not predict depressed affect (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.96 to 1.00) or good self-rated health (OR 1.01, 95% CI 0.99 to 1.02). Findings were consistent across all cohorts.ConclusionsData from four European ageing cohorts provide no support for the hypothesis that green space exposure is associated with subjective health or depressed affect. While longitudinal evidence is required, these findings suggest that green space may be less important for older urban residents.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Maayan Sayag ◽  
Gitit Kavé

Abstract Older adults consistently report young subjective age and provide high ratings of their subjective health. The current research examined which social comparisons older adults make when they assess their subjective age and health, as well as the effects of experimentally manipulated social comparisons on these assessments. In Study 1, 146 participants (aged 60 and over) reported to whom they compared themselves when assessing their subjective age or health. In Study 2, 100 participants (aged 60 and over) reported their subjective age and health after receiving feedback that compared them to younger adults or to their peers. Study 1 shows that participants compared themselves primarily to their peer group. Yet, individuals who selected a younger comparison group when assessing subjective age reported a younger subjective age, better self-rated health and more positive expectations regarding ageing relative to those who selected their peers as a comparison group. No equivalent differences emerged in any of the measures when participants were divided by their selection of comparison group after providing their self-rated health ratings. In Study 2, feedback that emphasised the performance of younger people led to reports of younger subjective age relative to feedback that emphasised peer performance, with no equivalent difference for self-rated health. These findings help explain why older adults feel younger and healthier than they actually are. We suggest that older adults use social comparisons as a strategy that protects them from the negative effects of ageing on self-perception.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Altweck ◽  
Stefanie Hahm ◽  
Holger Muehlan ◽  
Tobias Gfesser ◽  
Christine Ulke ◽  
...  

Abstract Background While a strong negative impact of unemployment on health has been established, the present research examined the lesser studied interplay of gender, social context and job loss on health trajectories. Methods Data from the German Socio-Economic Panel was used, which provided a representative sample of 6838 participants. Using latent growth modelling the effects of gender, social context (East vs. West Germans), unemployment (none, short-term or long-term), and their interactions were examined on health (single item measures of self-rated health and life satisfaction respectively). Results Social context in general significantly predicted the trajectories of self-rated health and life satisfaction. Most notably, data analysis revealed that West German women reported significantly lower baseline values of self-rated health following unemployment and did not recover to the levels of their East German counterparts. Only long-term, not short-term unemployment was related to lower baseline values of self-rated health, whereas, in relation to baseline values of life satisfaction, both types of unemployment had a similar negative effect. Conclusions In an economic crisis, individuals who already carry a higher burden, and not only those most directly affected economically, may show the greatest health effects.


Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 240
Author(s):  
MiJung Eum ◽  
HyungSeon Kim

With the increase in the aging population worldwide, social interest in having a vibrant and valuable old age has been increasing with changes in the perspectives on old age. This study aimed to determine the relationship between active aging and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in middle-aged and older Korean using national data. The subjects were 14,117 adults aged ≥55 years. HRQOL was evaluated using the EuroQol–5 Dimension (EQ-5D) questionnaire, and active aging was defined based on the health factors, participation factors, and security factors. The average EQ-5D score was 91.04 ± 0.143. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis sequentially inputting the health, participation, and security factors showed that health factors had the strongest influence on HRQOL (F = 216.656, p < 0.001). In the final model, which included all variables, activity limit (B = −10.477, p < 0.001) and subjective health status (B = −7.282, p < 0.001) were closely related to the HRQOL. In addition, economic activity, income level, home ownership, private health insurance, and unmet healthcare needs were associated with HRQOL. The R2 of the model was 38.2%. To improve the HRQOL of middle-aged and older people, it is necessary to consider active aging factors. Furthermore, follow-up studies using various indicators reflecting active aging should be conducted.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jong-Hwa Jang ◽  
Ji-Liang Kim ◽  
Jae-Hyun Kim

AbstractHerein, using data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (2006–2018), we evaluated denture use and chewing ability to determine the status of oral health in middle-aged adults who exercised regularly; further, we investigated the relationship of oral health with all-cause mortality. From the basic survey conducted in 2006, we interviewed 10,254 participants who were followed up until death. The participants were grouped based on regular exercise into REG (n = 3921) and non-REG (n = 6290) groups. The mortality rate was higher in the non-REG group than in the REG group (35.8% versus 26.9%; p < 0.001). The mortality rate was higher in denture users (versus non-denture users), non-drinkers (versus alcohol drinkers), and those on medical aid (versus national health insurance). The mortality rate was higher in participants with poor masticatory ability, lower education level, and poor subjective health perception (p < 0.001). Denture use and masticatory discomfort were not significant risk factors for mortality in the non-REG group (p > 0.05). In conclusion, masticatory discomfort was a risk factor for increased mortality in middle-aged Korean adults who exercised regularly, at least once a week. Thus, assessment of masticatory ability could be a useful indicator of life expectancy in middle-aged adults.


2022 ◽  
pp. 089826432110527
Author(s):  
Esther O. Lamidi

Objectives: This study examines educational differences in living alone and in self-rated health trends among middle-aged and older adults. Methods: We used logistic regression to analyze data from the 1972–2018 National Health Interview Survey ( n = 795,239 aged 40–64; n = 357,974 aged 65–84). Results: Between 1972–1974 and 2015–2018, living alone became more prevalent, particularly among men and at lower levels of education. Self-rated health trends varied by living arrangement and education. We found self-rated health declines among middle-aged adults having no college degree and living alone, but trends in self-rated health were mostly stable or even improved among middle-aged adults living with others. Among older adults, self-rated health improved over time, but for the least-educated older Americans living alone, the probability of reporting fair or poor health increased between 1972–1974 and 2015–2018. Discussion: The findings suggest growing disparities by social class, in living arrangements and in self-rated health.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S618-S619
Author(s):  
Masahiro Toyama ◽  
Masahiro Toyama ◽  
Heather R Fuller

Abstract Associations between late-life social integration and health have been found to be reciprocal. The present study focuses on the direction of health predicting social integration as it is not yet fully understood how different aspects of health may affect social integration. Using two-wave data from a community-based sample (N = 413, mean age 80 at baseline), the present study investigates whether depressive symptoms, chronic health conditions, functional limitations, and self-rated health independently predicted multiple dimensions of social integration over two years. The results of multiple regression and path analyses indicated that self-rated health was the most consistent predictor for social integration over time as the other health measures predicted no or fewer dimensions of social integration. Subjective perception of health appeared to have greater implications for social integration over time than more objective health symptoms/conditions. These findings highlight the important role of subjective health for maintaining late-life social integration.


2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 508-536
Author(s):  
Seong Hee Kim ◽  
Susanna Joo

The present study aims to investigate how marital satisfaction moderates the dyadic associations between multimorbidity and subjective health. Data were extracted from the Korea Longitudinal Study of Aging in 2016 and 2018. The sample was Korean married couples in middle and later life ( N = 780 couples with low marital satisfaction, N = 1,193 couples with high marital satisfaction). The independent variable was multimorbidity, measured by the number of chronic diseases per person. The dependent variables were subjective life expectancy and self-rated health to represent subjective health. Marital satisfaction was a binary moderator, dividing the sample into low and high marital satisfaction groups. We applied the Actor Partner Interdependency Model to examine actor and partner associations simultaneously and used multigroup analysis to test the moderating effects of marital satisfaction. The results showed that husbands’ multimorbidity was negatively associated with wives’ self-rated health among couples in both the low and high marital satisfaction groups. In couples with high marital satisfaction, wives’ multimorbidity was negatively associated with husbands’ self-rated health, but this was not true for couples with low marital satisfaction. Regarding actor effects, multimorbidity was associated with self-rated health in both marital satisfaction groups. The actor effect of multimorbidity on the subjective life expectancy was significant only among women with low marital satisfaction. These findings suggest that there are universal and gendered associations between multimorbidity and subjective health in couple relationships.


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