title: Predictors and prevalence of successful aging among older Malaysians.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Successful aging is an important and worldwide concept in gerontology. However, until recently, there has been very little known about successful aging in Malaysia. This study was designed to describe the prevalence and correlates of successful aging among older Malaysians.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data for this study were obtained from the national survey 'The Mental Health and Quality of Life of Older Malaysians'. For this study, successful aging was defined based on a multidimensional model, encompassing the avoidance of chronic disease and physical functioning difficulty, and maintenance of good psychocognitive functioning.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of successful aging among older Malaysians was calculated at 13.8% (CI: 12.6-15.1). Results of multiple logistic regression analysis showed that age, educational attainment, household income, and ethnicity were significantly associated with successful aging.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results of this study show that successful agers were more likely to be among the younger age, ethnic Chinese, and those with a higher education level and household income, after adjusting for all other variables in the model.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Gerontology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia. aizan@putra.upm.edu.my
authors.forename: Tengku Aizan
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Hamid
authors.forename: Yadollah Abolfathi
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Momtaz
authors.forename: Rahimah
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008296:Malaysia; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011788:Quality of Life; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors