The Impact of Physical Health and Functional Status on the “Aging Well” of Elderly People in Greece

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to: a) to examine the influence of age, education and gender categories, as well as the physical activity level on two sets of parameters: the physical health and functional status assessment of older adults, and their “Aging Well” perception b) to find the impact (predictive value) of physical health and functional status on the outcome variable “Aging Well”. The sample comprised 52 females and 52 males from Greece, with an age range of 50 to 89+. The questionnaire was administered to the subjects in the form of a structured interview by trained interviewer. The t-test results showed highly significant differences between active and inactive older adults on both sets of parameters: the physical health and functional status combined (t10214.97, p<.001), and on the outcome variable “Aging Well” (t 102=17.83, p<.001). Gender showed no significant differences across both sets of parameters, except for the physical health assessment. The one-way analysis of variance showed highly significant differences of the age (F 3 =24,50, p<.001), and education categories (F 3=6.26, p<.001) on the physical health and functional status set of parameters, as well as on the outcome “Aging Well” parameter (F 3.103=12.36, p<.001) & (F 3.103=5.02, p<.001), respectively. The correlation analysis conducted between the physical health and functional status set of parameters and the “Aging Well” one showed statistically significant correlation (r= .868, p<0.01). Multiple regression analysis showed that the predictive value of the health and functional status set of parameters reached the 42% of the “Aging Well” set of parameters. Physical health and functional health assessment were the most powerful predictors of the “Aging well” outcome variable. It is suggested that physical activity involvement in later years combined with continuing education would certainly affect positively health and functional status and this in turn could contribute significantly to aging well.