engleski

Which psychosocial factor better explains health in old age?

The findings of the longitudinal research on the ageing showed that stress, social support and coping style significantly predicted health, measured by different health indicators – objective and subjective health assessment, functional ability, somatic symptoms, depression (Despot Lučanin et al., 1998). Longitudinally, significant 1979 predictor of the 1994 stress, now as a dependent variable, was self-perceived health. Model was proposed explaining this association of self-perceived health and mortality, with stress, social support and coping style as mediating factors. It was assumed that stress could be a mediator between self-perceived health and mortality, thus explaining a strong association between these two phenomena. The aim of this research was to test the proposed theoretical model of the role of psychosocial factors in the ageing process in order to explain the complex relationships of psychosocial factors and their effects on health in old age. Longitudinal study of the ageing of urban elderly started in 1979. The second measurement point was in 1994. Subjects were 99 elderly persons, 37 men and 62 women. The average age was 58 years (range 45-73) in 1979, and 72 years (range 59-89) in 1994. Measures administered in 1979 were sociodemographic data, health status, and scales of functional ability, psychosomatic symptoms, self-perceived health, health behaviour, social participation, and life satisfaction. In 1994, we added the scales of stressful life events, social support, coping style and Zung depression scale. Data were collected by structured interview. Results show the specific effects and interactions of psychosocial variables with health in old age.

ageing; health; psychosocial factors

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