Association of social roles, health, and health behavior of elderly women in Croatia.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the association between the social role and objective and subjective health measures and use of health care services in the population of women older than 65 years in Croatia.


METHODS
We used the data from the 2003 Croatian Adult Health Survey (Short Form 36 Health Survey). Two sub-populations, retired women and housewives aged over 65 years, were analyzed and compared according to anthropometric measures, health self-assessment, utilization of health care services, and socioeconomic status.


RESULTS
The final sample consisted of 791 housewives and 1151 retired women. Housewives had larger waist circumference (98.44+/-13.9 vs 96.49+/-13.5, P=0.002, t test) and higher systolic blood pressure (152.88+/-25.2 vs 147.79+/-22.8, P<0.001, t test). On self health assessment, housewives had lower index on Mental Component Summary (MCS) (40.28+/-12.5 vs 42.96+/-12.4, P<0.001, t test). They also had lower self-assessed quality of life (40.28+/-12.5 vs 42.96+/-12.4, P<0.001, t test). Housewives performed regular breast check-ups significantly less often in the 12 months before the survey (7.5% vs 13.6%, chi2=18.0350, P<0.001), but they performed other forms of medical examinations, including general physical check-ups as often as retired women.


CONCLUSIONS
Housewives differed from retired women of the same age in objective and subjective measures of health status, use of health care services, self perceived health, and self-assessed quality of life. These differences should be taken into account when planning public health measures for these age groups of women.
Dzakula
Aleksandar
A
Aleksandar Dzakula, Andrija Stampar School of Public Health, Rockefellerova 4, Zagreb, Croatia. adzakula@snz.hr
Bosanac
Sanja Babić
SB
Brborović
Ognjen
O
Rukavina
Tea Vukusić
TV
Voncina
Luka
L
D000368:Aged; D017523:Croatia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health; D009790:Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011788:Quality of Life; D012179:Retirement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012380:Role; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D016387:Women's Health