Self-rated Health, Interviewer-rated Health, and their Predictive Powers on Mortality at Old Ages

• In Event: 546 - Section on Sociology of Population Roundtable Session (one-hour).
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 06. Mortality

Abstract

We use a nationwide dataset with more than 12,000 older adults aged 65 or older from the 2005 and 2008 waves a nationwide survey to investigate each of components of SRH and IRH and to examine their mediate roles in the associations between SRH, IRH and mortality. A proposed framework that includes both individual level factors during childhood and in adulthood and contextual level biopsychosocial factors is employed. The results reveal that disability, cognitive function, chronic disease conditions, psychological well-being, and health behaviors are major components of SRH and IRH when older Chinese rate their own overall health condition and that these components explain a large portion of the association between SRH and mortality. However, these components have a little impact on the association between IRH and mortality. Furthermore, the association between SRH and mortality disappeared when IRH is simultaneously controlled for, while the association between IRH and mortality persists.

Authors

• Qiushi Feng, National University of Singapore

• Haiyan Zhu, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

• Zhihong Zhen, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics

• Danan Gu, United Nations Population Division