Introduction: Self-rated health (SRH) has beeen considered an important marker of quality of life and an independent predictor of mortality in older adults. Objective: To determine the prevalence of poor SRH and identify risk factors associated with poor SRH among older adults residing in the Commune 18 of the city of Cali, Colombia, in 2009. Methods: A population-based cross-sectional study with a single-stage cluster sampling design. Sample included 314 persons aged 60 and older. The dependent variable, SRH was dichotomized into good (excellent, very good, good) and poor (fair, poor). Independent variables were sociodemographic, biological, mental, functional and geriatric syndromes. Logistic regression was used for multivariate statistical modeling. Results: Overall, 40.1% reported poor SRH (women 42.9%, men 35.0%). Factors independently associated with poor SRH were diabetes mellitus, depression, fear of falling and frailty syndrome (frail and pre-frail vs. non-frail). Widowed men reported poorer health than married men while other marital status (single/separated/divorced) was associated with better self rated health in women. Conclusion: Potential modifiable factors such as depression and frailty syndrome are important determinants for poor SRH in Colombian older adults.

Objective To determine the relation between bad self-rated health (SRH) and outcomes of physical and mental health and geriatric syndromes over one year. Methods A prospective study. A cohort of 231 adults over 60 years of age from commune 18 in Santiago de Cali, Colombia were classified into good and poor self-rated of health status according to results of a primary measurement carried out in 2009 and re-measured with the same instrument in 2010. The variables evaluated were physical and mental health, functional deterioration, geriatric syndromes, and use of health services. Parametric and non-parametric statistical tests were used through the module of complex samples of the statistical package SPSS version 17. Results After a year of monitoring, the incidence of mortality was higher among older adults with poor self-perceived health. Important differences were observed in: self-perception of recent weight loss (p=0.009); self-perception of undeliberate weight loss (p=0.065); self-report of suspension of any activity (p=0.001); self-report of having done less things or activities than before (p=0.011); self-report of having felt their movements were slower (p=0.002); self-report of feeling without energy (0.001); weakened grab power and decreased of walking speed (p <0.05). Conclusion The elderly adults with poor self-perceived health status presented greater health deterioration, geriatric syndromes, and higher frequency of use of health services.

It was found that habitual smokers had shorter university stay than nonsmokers. University stay was longer in students enrolled in academic programmes other than health.