HEALTH SELF-REPORT CORRELATES AMONG OLDER PEOPLE IN NATIONAL RANDOM SAMPLE DATA

Abstract

older people's health self-reports (HSR.s) are frequently cited in explanations for changes in social status (e.g., retirement). social participation-o.ctivity (e.g., disengagement), and personal attitudes (e.g., life satisfaction). The purpose ofresearch reported here was to establish correlates of HSRs in u.s. national random sample data. The parametric analysisstTategywas applied to data on aU persons aged 65+ intel11iewed for the Harris-NCOA survey(N= 2797)j with results as foUows: social status (2 varidb1es) largest ,2 <0.15), social panicipation-aaivity (S variables, largest r2 <O~2S), and personal attitudes (10 variables, largest r2 < 0.15). AUwtiables analyzed were correlated to HSRs at the 0.001 level or beyond. These results confirm. findings from studies using sm4I1er or specialized samples, IJnd they present new evidence of the importance ofsocial participation*actiuity to the HSRs ofolder people.