title: The influence of physical and mental health on life satisfaction is mediated by self-rated health: A study with Brazilian elderly.
abstract: Chronic diseases, signals and symptoms of health problems and objective losses in functionality are seen as strongly related to low levels of life satisfaction in old age. Among seniors, self-rated health is associated with both quality of health and life satisfaction, but its relationships with objective health measures are controversial. This study aimed at identifying the influence of self-rated health as a mediator of the relationships between objectives indicators of physical and mental health and the elderly's life satisfaction. Self-reporting and physical performance measures were derived from the data basis of the FIBRA Study, which investigated frailty and associated variables in a cross-sectional sample of 2164 subjects aged 65 and above, randomly selected in seven Brazilian cities. A model considering satisfaction as a dependent variable, the number of diseases, frailty, cognitive status and depressive symptoms as predictors and self-rated health as a mediating variable was tested through path analysis. The model fit the data well and explained 19% of life satisfaction's variance. According to the bootstrapping method, indirect effects were significant for all trajectories, suggesting that self-rated health is a mediator variable between physical and mental health and elderlýs life satisfaction. In conclusion, adverse conditions of physical and mental health can influence the elderlýs life satisfaction, mostly when they determine a decrease in their levels of self-rated health.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Program of Gerontology of Faculty of Medical Sciences at State University of Campinas, 126 Tessalia Vieira de Camargo Avenue, Campinas, Sao Paulo, ZC 13083-887, Brazil. Electronic address: ju_fisio33@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Juliana Martins
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences at University of Porto, 535 Alfredo Allen Street, Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: fontaine@fpce.up.pt.
authors.forename: Anne Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Fontaine
authors.affiliation: Graduate Program of Gerontology of Faculty of Medical Sciences at State University of Campinas, 126 Tessalia Vieira de Camargo Avenue, Campinas, Sao Paulo, ZC 13083-887, Brazil. Electronic address: anitalbn@uol.com.br.
authors.forename: Anita Liberalesso
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Neri
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001938:Brazil; D003071:Cognition; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly / Q000523:psychology; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010808:Physical Examination; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D057566:Self Report; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: Aged; Comorbidities; Life satisfaction; Self-rated health; Successful aging; Well-being