The association of functional limitations and diseases with multidimensional subjective age: Does chronological age matter?

OBJECTIVE

As the longstanding culture of respecting for older adults and filial piety norms is diminishing in China, how older Chinese perceive their health loss becomes a significant question. Based on the biological-psycho-social model of successful aging, the present study combines physiological and subjective indicators into a complete framework of successful aging, and examines the influence of disease and disability situation on multidimensional perceptions of senescence during the aging process among Chinese older adults.

METHODS

In a representative sample of Chinese older adults aged 60-89 from the China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (CLASS) (n = 7,668 respondents), we use multiple linear regression model to analyze the heterogeneous association of suffering from various disease types and activity restrictions with 3 facets of subjective age (SA): felt age, look age and self-defined aging standard with the increasing chronological age.

RESULTS

The negative association of limitations in activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) with perception of senescence is stabilized with chronological age. Respondents with non-life-shortening disease (type N) and chronic disease (type C) are associated with older felt age and look age and the discrepancy increases with age, while the negative association between acute and chronic disease (type AC) and self-defined aging standard becomes weaker with age.

DISCUSSION: Our results highlight the match between physiological indicators and different dimensions of aging perception, and how these factors map subjective senescence experience across aging process. Our identification of physical conditions in individuals with negative aging perceptions could help form effective interventions to achieve a more positive overall image of old age.