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Key elements composing self-rated health in older adults: a comparative study of 11 European countries

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Abstract

Self-rated health (SRH) is a multidimensional measure, predictive of morbidity and mortality. Comparative studies of determinants, however, are rare due to a lack of comparable cross-national data. This paper contributes towards filling in this gap, using data for persons aged 50 or higher in 11 European countries from the SHARE study (2004). The analysis aims at identifying key elements composing SRH using multinomial logistic regression models. In addition, the homogeneity of associations across populations is assessed. The findings indicate that education, depression, chronic conditions, mobility difficulties, somatic symptoms and levels of physical activity constitute important components of SRH; ADLs and obesity, on the other hand, are not significant and IADLs are important only in a few countries. All these associations point to the expected direction and are homogeneous across countries. However, demographic factors, age and gender, though significant in many countries have divergent associations. Effects of smoking also differentiate between southern and northern Europe.

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Acknowledgments

The author is thankful to two anonymous referees for their constructive and helpful criticism. This paper uses data from release 2 of SHARE 2004. The SHARE data collection has been primarily funded by the European Commission through the 5th framework programme (project QLK6-CT-2001-00360 in the thematic programme Quality of Life). Additional funding came from the US National Institute on Ageing (U01 AG09740-13S2, P01 AG005842, P01 AG08291, P30 AG12815, Y1-AG-4553-01 and OGHA 04-064). Data collection in Austria (through the Austrian Science Foundation, FWF), Belgium (through the Belgian Science Policy Office) and Switzerland (through BBW/OFES/UFES) was nationally funded. The SHARE data collection in Israel was funded by the US National Institute on Aging (R21 AG025169), by the German–Israeli Foundation for Scientific Research and Development (G.I·F.), and by the National Insurance Institute of Israel. Further support by the European Commission through the 6th framework program (projects SHARE-I3, RII-CT-2006-062193, and COMPARE, CIT5-CT-2005-028857) is gratefully acknowledged. For details see Börsch-Supan et al. (2005a).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Statistics and Insurance Science, University of Piraeus, 80, Karaoli & Dimitriou Str, Piraeus, 185 34, Athens, Greece

    Georgia Verropoulou

  2. Centre for Longitudinal Studies, Institute of Education, University of London, London, UK

    Georgia Verropoulou

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  1. Georgia Verropoulou
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Correspondence to Georgia Verropoulou.

Appendix: Questions and items comprising various health indicators

Appendix: Questions and items comprising various health indicators

Mobility difficulties

Because of a physical or health problem, do you have difficulty doing any of the activities on this card? Exclude any difficulties you expect to last less than three months.

Walking 100 m

Sitting for about 2 h

Getting up from a chair after sitting for long periods

Climbing several flights of stairs without resting

Climbing one flight of stairs without resting

Stooping, kneeling, or crouching

Reaching or extending your arms above shoulder level (either arm)

Pulling or pushing large objects like a living room chair

Lifting or carrying weights over 5 kilos, like a heavy bag of groceries

Picking up a small coin from a table

ADL (activities of daily living)

Here are a few more everyday activities. Please tell me if you have any difficulty with these because of a physical, mental, emotional or memory problem. Again exclude any difficulties you expect to last less than 3 months.

Dressing, including putting on shoes and socks

Walking across a room

Bathing or showering

Eating, including cutting up your food

Getting in or out of bed

Using the toilet, including getting up or down

IADL (instrumental activities of daily living)

Using a map to figure out how to get around in a strange place

Preparing a hot meal

Shopping for groceries

Making telephone calls

Taking medications

Doing work around the house or garden

Managing money, such as paying bills and keeping track of expenses

Chronic conditions

Has a doctor ever told you that you had any of the following conditions?

Heart attack including myocardial infarction or coronary thrombosis or any other heart problem including congestive heart failure

High blood pressure or hypertension

High blood cholesterol

A stroke or cerebral vascular disease

Diabetes or high blood sugar

Chronic lung disease such as chronic bronchitis or emphysema

Asthma

Arthritis, including osteoarthritis, or rheumatism

Osteoporosis

Cancer or malignant tumour, including leukaemia or lymphoma, excluding minor skin cancers

Stomach or duodenal ulcer, peptic ulcer

Parkinson disease

Cataracts

Hip fracture or femoral fracture

Other conditions, not yet mentioned

Somatic symptoms

For the past 6 months at least, have you been bothered by any of the following health conditions?

Pain in your back, knees, hips or any other joint

Heart trouble or angina, chest pain during exercise

Breathlessness, difficulty breathing

Persistent cough

Swollen legs

Sleeping problems

Falling down

Fear of falling down

Dizziness, faints or blackouts

Stomach or intestine problems, including constipation, air, diarrhoea

Incontinence or involuntary loss of urine

Other symptoms, not yet mentioned

Depressive symptoms comprising the EURO-D scale

Sadness—Depression

Pessimism

Suicidal tendency

Guilt

Trouble sleeping

Lack of Interest

Irritability

Loss of appetite

Fatigue

Lack of enjoyment

Tearfulness

Lack of concentration

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Verropoulou, G. Key elements composing self-rated health in older adults: a comparative study of 11 European countries. Eur J Ageing 6, 213–226 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-009-0125-9

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