Correlates of self-related health in a geriatric day care centre

Abstract

Old people and physicians perceive health in old age differently. Self-rated halth is a strong predictor of mortality, independent of objective measures of health, and can be more predictive than a physician's assessment. Poorer self-rated halth is a risk factor for nursing-home admission. We studied correlates of self-rated health in a geriatric day-care centre, whose role in facilitating and prolonging independent living involves reducing mortality and admission to long-term care.