Effects of Health Status, Depression, Gerotranscendence, Self-Efficacy, and Social Support on Healthy Aging in the Older Adults with Chronic Diseases

Abstract

Purpose of this study is to analyze factors affecting the healthy aging of the elderly with chronic diseases living in the community according to the worldwide aging phenomenon in line with the WHO’s healthy aging strategy. The subjects were 116 elderly aged 65 years or up with one or more chronic diseases and residing in four cities. The collected data were analyzed by using the descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson’s correlational coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression. The healthy aging of subjects showed positive correlations with the health status (r =0.68, p < 0.001), gerotranscendence (r = 0.64, p < 0.001), self-efficacy (r = 0.65, p < 0.001), and social support (r = 0.47, p < 0.001), while the healthy aging and depression (r = −0.58, p < 0.001) showed a negative correlation. The factors affecting the healthy aging were health status (β = 0.24, p = 0.004), self-efficacy (β = 0.28, p < 0.001), education (β = −0.11, p = 0.057), exercise (β = 0.17, p = 0.003), gerotranscendence (β = 0.22, p = 0.004), and depression (β = −0.19, p = 0.009), and the explanatory power of those variables was 68.2%. Thus, it would be necessary to provide an intervention for the elderly that could habituate health-related education and exercise, maintain good health status, lower depression, aid control of themselves through the gerotranscendence, and increase self-efficacy.

Unmet Healthcare Needs Predict Depression Symptoms among Older Adults

“…A recent meta-analysis found a global prevalence of depression in older adults to be 13.3% [ 2 ], while another estimated the prevalence at 28.4% [ 3 ]. Depression has a destructive effect on quality of life, physical and psychological health and is a significant obstacle to healthy aging [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]. Risk factors of depression among older adults are often considered to be such prolonged stressors as increasing social isolation, significant interpersonal losses deteriorating health and physical abilities, loss of income, and related financial stress [ 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ].…”

Adherence and potential factors of adherence to a resistance, coordination and endurance training in older retirement home residents over 6 months

“…Research has shown that exercise self‐efficacy was associated with improved health outcomes in patients with chronic heart failure 32 or reduced incidence of cardiovascular events in healthy older adults 33 . Self‐efficacy was positively associated with healthy aging in older adults with chronic diseases, 34 health‐related quality of life 35 and negatively with depressive symptoms in community‐dwelling older adults 36 . Interventions to increase exercise self‐efficacy generally incorporate educational sessions, 37,38 but it is also discussed that exercise itself increases exercise self‐efficacy through direct experiences that are made while exercising 19 .…”

Examination of the Relationship Between Health Literacy and the Level of Adaptation to Disease in Individuals With Chronic Diseases

“…This result highlights the need for further research to understand the effects of social factors in the management of chronic diseases. Social support, economic status, and social environment affect individuals' ability to cope with chronic diseases [14][15][16][17].…”