Centre for Policy on Ageing
 

 

Self-perceptions of health
 — a prospective analysis of mortality, control, and health
Author(s)Verena H Menec, Judith G Chipperfield, Raymond P Perry
Journal titleThe Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological sciences and social sciences, vol 54B, no 2, March 1999
Pagespp P85-P93
KeywordsHealth [elderly] ; Attitude ; Self care capacity ; Well being ; Ill health ; Death ; Longitudinal surveys ; Canada.
AnnotationA growing number of studies show that self-perceptions of health are an important predictor of mortality. The present research was based on a longitudinal study in Manitoba by the Canadian Aging Research Network, and was designed to extend this research by examining the relation between health perceptions and a range of other outcome measures besides mortality, including control beliefs and morbidity. The results show that older adults who rated their health as "bad/ poor" and "fair" were more than twice as likely to die within three to three and a half years following the initial survey than those who perceived their health as "excellent". However, although health perceptions assessed in 1991/92 were related to health perceptions four years later, they did not predict morbidity. Health perceptions also predicted control and use of control-enhancing strategies in dealing with age-related challenges, as assessed in 1995. These findings contribute to our understanding of the benefits of positive health perceptions by showing that they are connected to an adaptive psychological profile including perceptions of control and use of control-enhancing strategies that are linked to health and well-being. (RH).
Accession NumberCPA-990430001 A
ClassmarkCC: DP: CA: D:F:5HH: CH: CW: 3J: 7S

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