Tài liệu Self-Perception of Health among Elderly Community Dwellers in Singapore docx

July 1998, Vol. 27 No. 4

Self-Perception of Health Among the Elderly—K M Chan et al 461

Self-Perception of Health among Elderly Community Dwellers in Singapore

K M Chan,*FAMS, MBBS, M Med (Int Med), W S Pang,**FAMS, M Med (Int Med), MRCP (UK),

C H Ee,***FAMS, MBBS, M Med (Int Med), Y Y Ding,**FAMS, MBBS, MRCP (UK), P Choo,****FAMS, MRCP (UK), DGM (Lond)

Abstract

Majority (90.5%) of the elderly living in the community in Singapore had a positive (satisfactory to good) perception of their health. This

study found that age (70 years or older), recent hospitalisation, regular medical follow-up, hearing impairment, presence of chronic medical

conditions (like musculo-skeletal problems, hypertension, ischaemic heart disease and chronic obstructive lung disease), impairment in

activities of daily living, history of falls, those on regular medications and those with financial difficulties all adversely influenced perception

of health. Those able to participate in regular outdoor leisure activities have a positive influence. Factors that did not significantly influence

perception of health were gender, health-promoting activities, work, poor eyesight, cognitive impairment, urinary incontinence, diabetes,

history of stroke and the ability to use public transport.

Ann Acad Med Singapore 1998; 27:461-7

Key words: Factors influencing, Financial needs, Functional state, Health services utilisation, Illness symptoms

* Consultant and Head

Department of Geriatric Medicine

Alexandra Hospital

** Consultant

**** Consultant and Head

Department of Geriatric Medicine

Tan Tock Seng Hospital

*** Consultant and Head

Department of Geriatric Medicine

Changi General Hospital

Address for Reprints: Dr Chan Kin Ming, Geriatric Centre, Alexandra Hospital, 378 Alexandra Road, Singapore 159964.

Introduction

The single most important determinant of the quality

of an elderly person’s life is health. In the elderly, health

matters affect all other areas of life, including his willing￾ness to seek and accept help.1

Studies also support the

fact that though health declines with age, many older

people still rate their health positively.2

A number of

studies have also found that self-ratings of health among

elderly adults are valid measures of the respondent’s

objective health status and match up as well to physician

evaluations.2-4 Most of these studies were confined to

Western population. The purpose of the current study

was to look at how the elderly community dwellers in

Singapore perceive their own health, and the possible

factors that influenced their perception.

Materials and Methods

This was a cross-sectional random sample survey of

persons aged 60 and older residing in Singapore. A

random sample of 3000 names (persons 60 years and

above) was chosen from a database based on the 1990

population census. Letters were sent out to 2582 indi￾viduals who had local and complete addresses. In the

letter, they were informed about the purpose of the

survey, and invited to participate in a questionnaire and

clinical health screening at an appointed date at a poly￾clinic (Hougang Polyclinic), which is situated quite cen￾trally in Singapore. Participants were reminded the day

before the appointment by telephone, and a new ap￾pointment could be given at the subject’s convenience.

Screening was done through a health questionnaire and

a clinical examination. These were conducted between

September 1992 and November 1993. It was adminis￾tered by a team of six doctors with postgraduate training

in geriatric medicine. A protocol was provided to ensure

standardisation of measurements during clinical

examination.

The health questionnaire assessed the person’s per￾ception of their own health, and was subjectively scored

as “good”, “satisfactory” or “poor” based on their re￾sponse to the question “How do you consider your

health status?”. Factors which may influence the per￾son’s perception of health were assessed. They included:

work, exercise, eating habits, smoking, alcohol con￾sumption, health-promoting activities, recent

hospitalisations (over the past one year), need for regu￾ORIGINAL ARTICLES