Research On Self-perception Of Aging Of The Elderly And Its Influencing Factors

Objective:To establish a Chinese version of Irish aging perception questionnaire on the base of cross-cultural adatption and evaluation of psychometric properties of the studied questionnaire; to investigate the self-perceptions of aging among the community elderly, and comprehensively analyze and discuss its influencing factors by using a cross-sectional survey, aiming to help old people hold positive perception of their own aging which will improve their health status.Methods:There are two parts in the research, psychometric properties of the scales and anaylysis of related factors.1. Psychometric properties of the APQ scaleThe Irish APQ (Aging perception questionnaire) was selected as the final choice by comparing several tools regarding self perception aging. A Chinese version of APQ was determined after translation, back-translation, cross-culture adaption, and reliability and validity test among the targeted participants (old people).2. Anaylysis of the influencing factors related to self-perception of agingA convenience sample of758respondents in Shanghai were investigated by self-administered questionnaire which included the Chinese-version APQ, Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire, MOS36-item Short Form Health Survey, health behavior items and demographic and choronic disease data. One-way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation and multiple linear regressions were used to test variables that were significantly correlated with the self perception aging.Results:1. Psychometric properties of the scalesThe Chinese APQ comprised of46items,5aspects,8dimensions. Timeline:issues relating to an individual’s awareness of aging and their experience of the process over time. This has two sub-dimensions:timeline acute/chronic and timeline cyclical. Emotional representation:the emotional response generated by aging. Control:beliefs about personal ways of managing one’s experience of aging. This has two sub-dimensions:control positive and control negative. Consequences:beliefs about the impact of aging on one’s life across a variety of domains. This has two sub-dimensions:consequences positive and consequences negative. Identity:beliefs about ageing in the context of health, specifically the link between aging and health-related.The results of psychometric tests are the following:(1) Means of CVI were higher than0.95.(2)The results of principal components factor analysis showed the scale with cumulative contribution rate of variance was greater than65.269%, and the results of confirmatory factor analysis further proved the construct of the Chinese verison scale with AGFI=0.827, x2=904.576, x2/df=2.042, NFI=0.920, NNFI=0.945, RMSEA=0.0638, CFI=0.952;(3) Cronbach’s a values of the whole scale and its construct factors were ranged from0.665-0.869.(4) The test-retest reliability across two weeks for APQ and its factors were ranged from0.753to1.2. Levels of self perception of agingThe score of timeline acute/chronic subscale was (3.08±0.78), The score of timeline cyclical subscale was (3.23±0.55), The score of emotional representations subscale was (2.51±0.71), The score of control positive subscale was (3.57±0.57), The score of control negative subscale was (3.05±0.66), The score of consequences positive subscale was (3.39±0.69), The score of consequences negative subscale was (3.03±0.73), The score of identity subscale was (81.76±28.11). The result indicates that the Chinese old people’s score of acute/chronic subscale, timeline cyclical subscale, emotional representations subscale, control negative subscale, identity subscale were higher than Irish old people, the Chinese old people’s score of control positive subscale, consequences positive subscale, consequences negative subscale were lower than Irish old people (p<0.05).3. Anaylysis of the influencing factorsIndividuals’self perception of aging were influenced by many factors. They are sex, age, religion, education levels, marriage, inhabit status, chronic disease, health related behaviors, medical care assurance, BMI, coping, dimensions of health status. Mental health, common health status and negative coping were found as three most important factors related to self perception of aging.Conclusion:1. The Chinese-version aging perception questionnaire can be applied in Chinese elderly in community since it had been tested as a reliable and valid tool in our study.2. The characteristics of Chinese old people’s self perception of aging held negative views on their own aging and had less confidence in solving the aging problems, although they were willing to do some change to control the aging process.3. The study of the influencing factors related to aging could facilitate researcher and health care provider to identify the population with negative self perception aging and make more individualized and operable interventions to improve old people’s self perception aging and self management, which would lead to the improvement of the elderly’s quality of life.