Age-related changes in factors associated with self-rated health in Swedish older adults– findings from the Gothenburg H70 study cohort born 1930

Abstract

Background

Knowledge about age-related changes in factors associated with self-rated health (SRH) in older adults is still limited.

Objective

To explore changes in SRH and analyze the strength of the association between different factors and SRH at ages 70, 75, 85, and 88 in a cohort born in 1930.

Design

Cross-sectional.

Setting

The Gothenburg H70 Birth Cohort Studies.

Subjects

939 individuals, providing 1841 observations.

Method

SRH was assessed using the same question at every examination. Factors potentially affecting SRH included somatic and mental disease burden, functional ability, life satisfaction, and loneliness. Lung function was included as an indicator of physical fitness. Descriptive statistics and binary regression were used to explore cohort characteristics, associated factors, and SRH. GLMM (Generalized linear mixed model) was used to perform a sensitivity analysis and test the robustness of our results.

Results

There was an association between factors and SRH at every age, except feelings of loneliness and having a low disease burden at 85. High disease burden showed the strongest association at 70 and the weakest at 85. Depression showed the strongest association at 85 and the lowest at 88. When also controlling for life satisfaction, the associations changed between the ages, and feelings of loneliness were no longer associated with poor SRH other than at 88. The association between factors and poor SRH was generally stronger at ages 70–75 than at ages 85–88. The sensitivity analysis using GLMM confirmed the robustness of our results.

Conclusion

The proportion of poor SRH decreases with age despite a higher frequency of somatic health conditions. Associated factors varied across ages, indicating that physical factors more strongly influence SRH in younger-old adults, while psychosocial factors have a greater impact on SRH in older-old adults.