[Self-perception of health in non-institutionalised elderly]

To evaluate the self-perception of health (SH) of non-institutionalised over-65s. To relate this SH to age, sex, social and economic level, and use of health services.

Descriptive cross-sectional study on a sample stratified by age and sex.

City of Avila.Participants. 425 interviews representative of the census of the over-65s, using the SF-36 Health Questionnaire and a complementary questionnaire to gather information on social and economic levels and use of health services.

The QWB well-being index was at 0.67 (0.69 men; 0.65 women), dropping with age (0.70 in < 70s; 0.59 in > 84 years old). The highest scores on the questionnaire were in the dimensions social function (81.1) and emotional role (79.8); and the worst in general health (51.9) and vitality (58.5), with men always having higher scores (p < 0.05, except in physical function [p = 0.05] and general health [p = 0.47]). At greater ages the scores were worse, with physical function (-50.6%) and physical role (-45.7%) more affected by age, and mental health (-12.1%), general health (-16.1%) and emotional role (-17.8%) less affected. Men perceived their health as more stable than women did (63.7% vs. 44.6%; p < 0.001). There was self-perception of better health, the higher the social and economic levels (p < 0.05 in all dimensions), the greater the educational level reached (p < 0.05 except in social function) and the less the health services were used (p < 0.05, except for mental health-hospital admission).

The Index of Well-being of our elderly people is comparable to that recorded in other samples. Men had self-perception of better health than women and saw their health as more stable. SH gets significantly worse with age. Higher economic and social levels and less use of health services are related to better SH.