title: Self-rated health and health-strengthening factors in community-living frail older people.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to analyse the explanatory power of variables measuring health-strengthening factors for self-rated health among community-living frail older people.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Frailty is commonly constructed as a multi-dimensional geriatric syndrome ascribed to the multi-system deterioration of the reserve capacity in older age. Frailty in older people is associated with decreased physical and psychological well-being. However, knowledge about the experiences of health in frail older people is still limited.
  
  
  METHODS
  The design of the study was cross-sectional.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data were collected between October 2008 and November 2010 through face-to-face structured interviews with older people aged 65-96 years (N = 161). Binary logistic regression was used to analyse whether a set of explanatory relevant variables is associated with self-rated health.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results from the final model showed that satisfaction with one's ability to take care of oneself, having 10 or fewer symptoms and not feeling lonely had the best explanatory power for community-living frail older peoples' experiences of good health.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that a multi-disciplinary approach is desirable, where the focus should not only be on medical problems but also on providing supportive services to older people to maintain their independence and experiences of health despite frailty.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medicine/Social Medicine, Institute of Health and Care Science, University of Gothenburg and The Swedish Institute for Health Sciences, Sweden.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ebrahimi
authors.forename: Synneve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dahlin-Ivanoff
authors.forename: Kajsa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Eklund
authors.forename: Annika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jakobsson
authors.forename: Katarina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wilhelmson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006304:Health Status; D016852:Housing for the Elderly / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012648:Self Care / Q000523:psychology*; D057566:Self Report
keywords: being assured; everyday life; frail older people; nurses; self-rated health; well-being