[Health-related knowledge and behavior of elderly residents in urban Chengdu].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the health-related knowledge and behavior of elderly residents in urban Chengdu, and to identify the influence factors, which will provide policy implications on successful aging.


METHODS
A questionnaire survey was undertaken in 378 randomly selected residents who were over 60 years of age in urban communities in Chengdu. The demographic data, lifestyle, chronic illness conditions, and knowledge about health care and management of chronic illness were recorded. Univariate and multivariate statistical methods were employed to analyze the knowledge, attitudes and behavior of the elderly and the possible determinants.


RESULTS
About 5-75% of the elderly residents recounted accurate information about health care and management of chronic illness. The knowledge came from experiences of medical treatment (38. 5%), newspaper and magazine (20. 4%), and radio and television (12. 9%). About 20% of elderly people exposed to risk factors, such as smoking (17. 0%), drinking (16. 7%) and lack of physical exercises (29. 3%). The multivariate statistical analysis showed that the health-related knowledge was influenced by education (P = 0. 000), experiences of chronic illness (P = 0. 000), source of income (P = 0. 001), and age (P = 0. 019). The health-related behavior was influenced by gender (P= 0. 000) and occupation (P= 0. 002).


CONCLUSIONS
The elderly residents have gained some general health related knowledge. But there is a significant lack of knowledge about the management of chronic illness. Community health education can not only improve the health related knowledge of elderly people, but also enrich their daily life.
Zhang
Qiang
Q
Department of Social Medicine, West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Zhang
Qiong
Q
Li
Ning-xiu
NX
D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*