Original scientific paper
Association of Social Roles, Health, and Health Behavior of Elderly Women in Croatia
Aleksandar Džakula
; Andrija Štampar School of Public Health, University School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
Sanja Babić Bosanac
; Andrija Štampar School of Public Health, University School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
Ognjen Brborović
; Andrija Štampar School of Public Health, University School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
Tea Vukušić Rukavina
; Andrija Štampar School of Public Health, University School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
Luka Vončina
; Andrija Štampar School of Public Health, University School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Aim To explore the association between the social role and objective
and subjective health measures and use of health care services in the
population of women older than 65 years in Croatia.
Methods We used the data from the 2003 Croatian Adult Health
Survey (Short Form 36 Health Survey). Two sub-populations, retired
women and housewives aged over 65 years, were analyzed and compared
according to anthropometric measures, health self-assessment,
utilization of health care services, and socioeconomic status.
Results The final sample consisted of 791 housewives and 1151 retired
women. Housewives had larger waist circumference (98.44 ± 13.9
vs 96.49 ± 13.5, P = 0.002, t test) and higher systolic blood pressure
(152.88 ± 25.2 vs 147.79 ± 22.8, P<0.001, t test). On self health assessment,
housewives had lower index on Mental Component Summary
(MCS) (40.28 ± 12.5 vs 42.96 ± 12.4, P<0.001, t test).They also
had lower self-assessed quality of life (40.28 ± 12.5 vs 42.96 ± 12.4,
P<0.001, t test). Housewives performed regular breast check-ups significantly
less often in the 12 months before the survey (7.5% vs 13.6%,
χ2 = 18.0350, P<0.001), but they performed other forms of medical
examinations, including general physical check-ups as often as retired
women.
Conclusion Housewives differed from retired women of the same age
in objective and subjective measures of health status, use of health care
services, self perceived health, and self-assessed quality of life. These
differences should be taken into account when planning public health
measures for these age groups of women.
Keywords
Social Roles; Health; Health Behavior
Hrčak ID:
20938
URI
Publication date:
15.10.2007.
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