INTRODUCTION: Self-perceived health reported by older adults is a tool of great importance for the health care system as it provides an indicator representing physical, cognitive, and emotional aspects of health. OBJECTIVE: To report how a group of older adults covered by a health insurance plan evaluate their self-perceived health and which variables influence their perception. METHOD: This quantitative cross-sectional study included 148 older adults living in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, in 2017. The study variables were sex, age, marital status, performance in basic activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living, sleep quality, leisure activity, number of diseases, and use of continuous medication. Statistical analysis was performed using Student’s t-test, χ2 test, or Fisher’s exact test, and logistic regression was used. RESULTS: Significant relationships were observed between poor self-perceived health and the following variables: being female, polypharmacy, number of diseases, sleep quality, and performance in instrumental activities of daily living. Dependence on the instrumental activities of daily living made these older adults 5.33 times more likely to have poor self-perceived health. Each comorbidity added to the health status of this group increased the chance of poor self-perceived health by 1.39 times. CONCLUSION: Self-perceived health in this group of older adults is influenced by several variables; however, degree of dependence and number of diseases were those with the greatest impact.

Objetivo: aplicar o instrumento MINICHAL para mensurar o perfil de qualidade de vida de um grupo de idosos hipertensos assistidos pelo setor de saúde suplementar. Métodos: foram investigados 47 idosos hipertensos vinculados a uma operadora de planos de saúde, no município de São Paulo, SP, Brasil. Os dados sociodemográficos, clínicos, de utilização de serviços de saúde e de Qualidade de Vida relacionada à Saúde (QVRS) foram obtidos por meio de instrumentos criados pelos próprios pesquisados e da aplicação da versão brasileira do MINICHAL. Após expressas as variáveis descritivas, os testes de t-Student e Mann-Whitney foram realizados para comparar QVRS as demais variáveis. Resultados: o MINICHAL indicou baixo comprometimento da QVRS em todas as dimensões do instrumento utilizado e a influência negativa entre a prática de atividade física e a dimensão Manifestações Somáticas (p=0,017). Conclusão: o MINICHAL mostrou-se eficaz na mensuração da QVRS de idosos portadores de Hipertensão Arterial Sistêmica vinculados ao setor de saúde suplementar e evidenciou um menor comprometimento na QVRS entre os idosos praticantes de atividade física.