Cross-sectional study on the SF-36, the general self-efficacy, the social support, and the health promoting lifestyle of the young elderly in a community in Shanghai, China

Background: The health levels of young elderly individuals are generally low due to multiple factors. This study sought to analyze factors that affect the health of the young elderly to provide a reference for improving their level of health. Methods: We used cluster sampling to survey 1,000 young elderly residents aged between 60 and 69 and living in Town P, District M, Shanghai. Health levels were assessed using the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), Social Support Rate Score (SSRS), General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), and Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLP II) instruments. Demographic characteristics were compared based on the SF-36 score and coupled with one-way analysis and stepwise regression analysis, to determine factors affecting health. Results: The young elderly in this community have a high morbidity of chronic disease and score low in the SF-36, SSRS, GSES, and HPLP II. One-way analysis reveals that gender, education, marriage, current work, total social support score, total general self-efficacy score, and total health promoting score are factors affecting the scoring of the SF-36 and the results of stepwise regression analysis. Marriage, current working condition, age, total score of social support, total score of health promotion behavior, type of work, presence of chronic disease, and the number of children are positively correlated with the SF-36 score and can predict it. Conclusions: To improve the health of community living elderly young it is necessary to adopt appropriate health promotion measures which motivate their self-efficacy and health responsibility. Such measures include increasing interactions between the young elderly and medical resources and offering them public participation opportunities to ensure that they receive adequate social support.