Lima-Costa Maria Fernanda, Firmo Josélia Oliveira Araújo, Uchôa Elizabeth
Núcleo de Estudos em Saúde Pública e Envelhecimento, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Cad Saude Publica. 2005 May-Jun;21(3):830-9. doi: 10.1590/s0102-311x2005000300017. Epub 2005 May 2.
Self-rated health is influenced by socioeconomic circumstances, but related differences in its structure have received little attention. The objective of this study was to examine whether self-rated health structure differs according to socioeconomic circumstances in later life. The study included 1,505 individuals (86.4%) residing in Bambuí and aged 60 years or older. Correlates of self-rated health among lower-income older adults (monthly household income < USD 240.00) and higher-income seniors were assessed. Social network stood out as a major factor in the structure of self-rated health among the poorest. Psychological distress was independently associated with worse self-rated health among the poorest, while perceptions by the wealthiest were broader, including psychological distress, insomnia, Trypanosoma cruzi infection, use of medications, and access to health services. Physician visits and hospitalizations were associated with self-rated health in both groups. Our results show important differences in the structure of self-rated health according to socioeconomic circumstances and reinforce the need for policies to reduce health inequalities in later life.
自评健康状况受社会经济环境影响，但其结构上的相关差异却很少受到关注。本研究的目的是检验自评健康结构在晚年是否因社会经济环境而异。该研究纳入了居住在班布伊且年龄在60岁及以上的1505名个体（86.4%）。评估了低收入老年人（家庭月收入<240.00美元）和高收入老年人自评健康状况的相关因素。社会网络是最贫困人群自评健康结构中的一个主要因素。心理困扰与最贫困人群中较差的自评健康状况独立相关，而最富裕人群的认知更为广泛，包括心理困扰、失眠、克氏锥虫感染、药物使用以及获得医疗服务的情况。两组中看医生和住院情况均与自评健康状况相关。我们的结果显示，自评健康结构因社会经济环境存在重要差异，并强化了制定政策以减少晚年健康不平等现象的必要性。
