Self-esteem of the elderly in rural areas of Nakhon Sawan Province.
OBJECTIVE
Study self-esteem of the elderly and factors related.


METHODS
A cross-sectional survey of two hundred and seventy elderly, aged 60 or above in rural areas of Nakhon Sawan Province. The data were collected by interview questionnaire from May 12 to May 25, 2003. Statistics used for data analysis were frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, Pearson product moment correlation coefficient, and Stepwise multiple regression.


RESULTS
More than half of the elderly (65.6%) had a moderate level of self-esteem, followed by a low level (19.3%) and a high level (15.1%). The factors that were statistically significant related to self-esteem of the elderly (p-value < 0.05) were monthly income, activities of daily living, personality, participation in family activities, participation in social activities, and social support. In addition, social support, participation in social activities, personality, and participation in family activities could significantly predict self-esteem of the elderly by 58.2%. The factor with highest predictive power of self-esteem was social support.


CONCLUSIONS
Elderly should be encouraged to participate in family and social activities. The level of social support should be high enough for the elderly to maintain their self-esteem so that they can have live happily without burden to family and society.
Nanthamongkolchai
Sutham
S
Department of Family Health, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
Makapat
Arunsiri
A
Charupoonphol
Phitaya
P
Munsawaengsub
Chokchai
C
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012649:Self Concept; D012944:Social Support; D013785:Thailand