Older people's expectations regarding ageing, health-promoting behaviour and health status

Title. Older people's expectations regarding ageing, health-promoting behaviour and health status. Aim. This paper is a study to explore the influence of expectations regarding ageing on physical and mental health status, and to examine the mediating effects of health-promoting behaviour on the relationship between these expectations and physical and mental health. Background. To achieve healthy ageing, it is necessary for older people to play an active role in maintaining good health. Without any expectations for healthy ageing among older people themselves, encouraging them to participate in health-promoting behaviour and thereby to maintain good health would be unsuccessful. Method. A convenience sample of 99 community-residing Korean older people was surveyed in 2007 via questionnaire using a short version of the Expectations Regarding Aging questionnaire, Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II, and Medical Outcomes Study 12-item short form. Findings. Having a higher expectation about ageing was associated with better physical and mental health, after adjusting for age, gender and education. Expectations about ageing were partially mediated through the health-promoting behaviour that influenced physical and mental health. Conclusion. It may be necessary for nurses to make an effort to improve older people's expectations about ageing to help them achieve good health. Nursing interventions to improve these expectations need to be used in conjunction with an emphasis on older people's active involvement in health-promoting behaviour.