Aging
Assessing Multidimensional Health in Older Adults: Insights from Wave 8 of the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) Naiki Kondo* Amparo Oliver Tayzar Tun Naiki Kondo José Manuel Tomás
Background
Epidemiology specializes in counting health events among individuals. Since the World Health Organization’s 1948 definition of health, epidemiology has advanced in measuring physical and mental well-being and is also working to assess social well-being. The recent aging of the population has expanded the understanding of health, suggesting the need for a broader concept beyond these three axes. This study aims to contribute to future epidemiological research by applying psychometric methods to clarify, in a data-driven way, additional potential dimensions of health and their associations with one another, and each dimension’s contribution to overall health.
Methodology
Data from SHARE Wave 8, comprising 46,317 participants aged 50 and older (M = 71.3, SD = 9.34, 57.4% females), was analyzed. A structural equation model (SEM) with a second-order factor was estimated based on 34 theoretical and statistically relevant variables based on theoretical and CFA results.
Result
The final model identified health in older adults as a composite of multiple dimensions with these standardized coefficients: physical strength( 0.76), cognitive health (0.68), mental wellbeing (0.76), social wellbeing (0.72), financial wellbeing (0.47), clinical symptoms (-0.88), and functional difficulties (-0.74).The model fit indices were ꭓ2(389)=53606.8, p<0.001; RMSEA=0.054, 90%CI [0.054, 0.055]; CFI=0.894; SRMR=0.048.
Discussion
This study confirms the multi-dimensional nature of health among older adults, highlighting the importance of often overlooked social and financial dimensions. However, reliance on available SHARE data restricts exploration of other potential dimensions. Multidisciplinary epidemiological studies are needed to refine comprehensive health measurements for aging societies.
Keywords: measurement of health; interdisciplinary approach; aging, SHARE survey