title: Ageing styles: subjective well-being and somatic complaints in inpatients aged >/=60 years.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent gerontological research shows a high variability in the elderly population. The aim of the present study is to investigate by means of cluster analysis, as to whether different 'ageing styles' can be identified in a sample of cognitively not impaired older persons, and to assess discrepancies between self-rated and expert-rated psychological and physical health.
  
  
  METHODS
  243 patients aged 60 years and older in a general hospital were investigated using a clinical psychiatric interview, expert ratings, and self-report scales after extensive internal medical diagnostic evaluation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five clusters, representing significantly different 'ageing styles' with regard to subjective well-being and subjective physical complaints, could be identified. Two clusters, which together constituted 57% of the sample, represented quite positive and desirable ageing styles. In two clusters (altogether 23% of the sample), there was a discrepancy between medical findings and subjective physical complaints.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings support the notion of high variability in the elderly and the existence of subgroups, which show a discrepancy between subjective assessment of well-being and expert assessment of psychological and physical health and impairment. The recording of subjectively perceived physical complaints should, therefore, be part of the evaluation of older peoples' subjective well-being.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany. schneig@mednet.uni-muenster.de
authors.forename: Gudrun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Driesch
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kruse
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wachter
authors.forename: Hans-Georg
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Nehen
authors.forename: Gereon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Heuft
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*