Factors Associated with Self Perceived Health among Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study in India and China

Ayushi Das, International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai, India
T. Muhammad, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)

Self-perceived health (SPH) is a subjective evaluation of overall health influenced by physical, mental, and social factors. This study investigates cross-national differences in factors affecting SPH among older adults in India and China, using data from the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) and the 2017-18 Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI). The analysis includes 63,979 individuals from India and 17,664 from China, aged 45 and above. ?2 test was used to evaluate the statistical significance of differences between the countries. Ordered logistic regression models were conducted for each gender to investigate factors influencing SPH (very good, good, fair, poor, very poor) among older adults in China and India, respectively. In India, 40% of older adults reported good SPH, compared to 25% in China. SPH declines with age, especially among women. Factors such as marital status, education, and living arrangements strongly impact SPH in India, while urban residency and physical activity are linked to better SPH. In China, frequent alcohol consumption improves SPH, particularly among men. Chronic conditions, pain, depression, and functional limitations reduce SPH in both countries. These results provide insights into health perceptions in the ageing populations of India and China, with implications for targeted interventions.

Keywords: Population Ageing, Health and Morbidity, Gender Dynamics

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