| บทคัดย่อ(English) |
This study was intended to investigate the factors affecting the health status of the elderly in Nakhon Ratchasima province. The body mass index was applied as an indicator of health status in the study. The sample in this survey research was drawn from the elderly aged 60 years and over living in urban and rural areas of Nakhon Ratchasima. The information was collected from an interview and the measurement of weight and height. The dependent variables was body mass index. The independent variables included demographic, socioeconomic factors and lifestyle such as gender, age, education, marital status, working status, income, number of family members, place of residence, food consumption, daily activity, health habits, physical exercise, tobacco smoking, and alcohol consumption. Other health-related factors included illness/disease, self-health assessment, self-health comparison to the others in the same age, and anxiety. The analytical statistic applied for testing the association and the factors affecting health status in the elderly was multiple regression. The results of using six equations revealed that age, education, income, place of residence, health habits, tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, food consumption, and self-health comparison with others in the same age affected the body mass index of the elderly in general. Among male elderly groups, a correlation was found for age, education, tobacco smoking, and alcohol consumption. Except for tobacco, the same factors affected body mass index in the female elderly group. But to the females there was also a positive correlation for income, place of residence, health habits, and self-health comparison with the others of the same age. Correlation were also for difference age groups. It was found that among the young elderly aged 60 - 69 years old the association was found for education, income, living in rural areas, health habits, tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, and self-health comparison with others of the same age group. Similarly, the factors affecting the health status among the elderly aged 70 - 79 years also included working status and food consumption. However, no relationship was found for education, and self-health comparison with others of the same age. The correlation was found only for income, working status, physical exercise, and health habits for the elderly aged 80 years and over. Thus, preparation for old age is necessary. Individually, people should be encouraged to understand about body mass index (indicator of health). Good health behavior needs to be encouraged in childhood as well as knowledge about self-care, prevention of disease, and care both for body and mind. The preparation at the family level should focus on providing knowledge of elderly care to the caregivers. Home visit could be integrated with a holistic approach covering physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual dimensions that should be perform continually at the primary health care center. The holistic service should cover all of health promotion, disease prevention, and treatment, as well as rehabilitation implemented in the target population in both rural and urban areas. However, it must be based on the needs and problems of the elderly. |
