Health Perception and Social Comparison in Very Old Age

This article focuses on the relationship between health status & health perception in very old age. On the one hand we wonder how elderly individuals assess their own health, while on the other hand we investigate the links between their health status & their perceptions thereof. Based on quantitative & qualitative data from SWILSOO (Swiss Interdisciplinary Longitudinal Study on the Oldest Old), this study confirms that while both health status & self-rated health deteriorate in late life, the assessment by elderly individuals of their health status puts their health decline into perspective. Furthermore, we show that the widening gap between health status & health perception can be explained by comparison mechanisms. The qualitative data reveal various forms of comparison which allow the elderly to maintain a relatively positive perception of their own health -- and therefore of their self -- until very old age. Tables, Figures, References. Adapted from the source document.