Factors associated with self-rated health in a Norwegian population of older people participating in a preventive home visit program: a cross-sectional study

Astrid Fjell,Åke Seiger,Arvid Rongve,Anne-Marie Boström,Berit Cronfalk Seiger,Monica Hermann,Knut Skaug,Jörg Aßmus,Lars Kvinge

doi:10.1186/s12877-020-01733-2

Abstract

BackgroundAssessing self-rated health by preventive home visits of older people can provide information about the person’s well-being, quality of life and risk of developing illness. The aim of this study was to examine associations between self-rated health and factors related to demographics, lifestyle, health conditions and medical diagnoses by older people participating in a preventive home visit program.MethodsA cross-sectional study including 233 participants (age 75–79) from three municipalities of Western Norway was conducted. Data were collected through preventive home visits performed by six nurses, using a questionnaire including self-rated health assessment and questions and tests related to demographics (e.g. education and housing), lifestyle (e.g. social activities, alcohol and smoking), health conditions (e.g. sensory impairment, pain and limited by disease) and medical diagnoses. Descriptive and inferential statistics including linear block-wise regression model were applied.ResultsThe block-wise regression model showed that the variables Limited by disease and Pain were negatively associated with self-rated health and Use internet was positively associated. The model had a R2 0.432. The variable that contributed to largest change in the model was Limited by disease (R2 Change; 0.297, p-value< 0.001).ConclusionsIn the present study, being limited by disease and pain were strongly associated with poor self-rated health, indicating that these are important factors to assess during a preventive home visit. Also, digital competence (Use internet) was associated with a better self-rated health, suggesting that it could be useful to ask, inform and motivate for the use of digital tools that may compensate for or improve social support, social contact and access to health -related information.

Highlights

Assessing self-rated health by preventive home visits of older people can provide information about the person’s well-being, quality of life and risk of developing illness
This study focuses on self-rated health and preventive home visits (PHV) in older people living in Norway
While there were no significant differences between the participants with self-rated good and poor health in demographics and medical diagnoses, the participants with good health reported more use of alcohol, internet and mobile and significantly less sleep problems, pain, negative life orientation, use of home care service and being limited by disease (Table 2)

Summary

Introduction

Assessing self-rated health by preventive home visits of older people can provide information about the person’s well-being, quality of life and risk of developing illness. Self-rated health is a comprehensive measurement of health status and is broadly used as an indicator to monitor the health of populations and patients in clinical settings [5] and is often used as a screening tool in health surveys or for identifying persons at risk of disease [5, 6]. The most commonly used question of self-rated health is “in general would you say your health is excellent, very good, good, fair, or poor?” [7]. The response to this modest question is influenced by many factors, defined by the person being asked. Poor self-rated health has been shown to be an indicator of post-hip fracture mortality and overall early mortality [5, 8, 9]

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