Factors Related to the Self-Rated Health Status among Korean Elderly: Analysis of the 2016 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

This study examined the sociodemographic factors, health-related habits, chronic diseases, dietary habits, and nutrient intake according to the self-rated health status in a group aged over 65 years by analyzing the nationally representative Korean survey data. A total of 1,510 subjects were analyzed among the participants of the 2016 Korean National Health and Examination Survey (KNHANES). Statistical analyses for complex samples were performed using the SPSS software package (version 19.0) The study subjects were divided into two groups (healthy group vs. unhealthy group) based on their self-rated health status. The percentage of the healthy group was 66.5%. Gender, age, education level, household income, job (P<0.001, respectively), marital status, and basic living allowance (P<0.05, respectively) were significant sociodemographic variables of the self-rated health status. Alcohol consumption (P<0.01), aerobic physical activity, stress, quality of life, not feeling very well, depression and activity restriction (P<0.001, respectively) were also significant health-related variables of the self-rated health status. Blood glucose, anemia (P<0.05, respectively), and chewing problems (P<0.001) were significant chronic disease-related variables of the self-rated health status. Adequate intakes of protein, dietary fiber, phosphorus, thiamin, niacin, vitamin C (P<0.001, respectively), calcium, sodium, potassium (P<0.01, respectively), iron, vitamin A, and riboflavin (P<0.05, respectively) were also significant variables of the self-rated health status. In complex samples multiple logistic regression analysis, the self-rated health status was influenced significantly by the aerobic physical activity (P<0.01), stress level (P<0.05), depression (P<0.001), quality of life (P<0.001), not feeling very well (P<0.001), activity restriction (P<0.001), chewing problem (P<0.05), and adequate intake of iron (P<0.05). These results suggest that activity restriction, mental health, adequate iron intake, and physical activity may be associated with the self-rated health status in the elderly.