[Subjective well-being, health status, functional capacity and social participation in Chilean older people].

Abstract

Background: Chile is currently updating the Comprehensive Policy on Positive Aging, which establishes a positive association between Subjective Well-being, Self-perceived Health, Functional status, and Social Participation in older people.

Aim: To study the relationship between Subjective Well-being, General Health, Functional status, and Social Participation in older people in Chile.

Material and methods: In a cross-sectional observational study, 2.031 people aged 60 years and over were included in the National Health Survey 2016-2017 (ENS). The study included analysis of correlations between the relevant variables, in addition to binomial logistic regression with Subjective Well-being as a response variable, as well as the application of structural equation techniques (SEM).

Results: Subjective Well-being had a positive association with Self-perceived Health (Rho = 0.370), functional status (Rho = 0.360), and Social Participation (Rho = 0.290). However, in the logistic regression analysis only Self-perceived Health (OR = 0.293) and Functional status (OR = 0.932) had predictive capacity for Subjective Well-being.

Conclusions: The relevance of Self-perceived Health and Functionality in the sensation of Well-being among older people, reinforces the need to improve health care within a framework of a comprehensive policy for this age group.