Self-assessed health among Thai elderly

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Thailand's aging population presents unique health challenges.
• Self-assessed health status offers a comprehensive perspective on elderly well-being.
• Understanding determinants of self-assessed health is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify key factors influencing self-assessed health among older adults in Thailand.
• To analyze the relationship between demographic, socioeconomic, and health-related factors and self-perceived health status.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from a 2007 national survey of individuals aged 60 and above.
• Employed stratified two-stage random sampling for data collection.
• Conducted univariate, bivariate, and multivariate (binary logistic regression) analyses to identify significant predictors.

Main Results:

• Over 56% of elderly respondents reported fair to very bad/bad health.
• Significant predictors of poor self-assessed health included age, education, marital status, work status, income, functional status, number of chronic diseases, and psychosocial symptoms.
• Difficulty with activities of daily living (ADLs) and higher counts of chronic diseases and psychosocial symptoms strongly correlated with poorer self-assessed health.

Conclusions:

• Poor self-assessed health is prevalent among Thailand's elderly population.
• Chronic disease, functional limitations, and psychosocial symptoms are the most influential determinants.
• Future health programs should adopt a holistic approach, addressing these multifaceted factors to enhance the well-being of the aging demographic.