Navigating Health and Mortality Transitions: A Closer Look at Aging in the Philippines

Christian Joy Cruz, University of the Philippines Population Institute
Grace Cruz, University of the Philippines Population Institute
Yasuhiko Saito, Nihon University

Subjective global health assessments, especially self-reported health (SRH), are widely recognized for their predictive power in social and epidemiological research. SRH effectively predicts morbidity and mortality, even when accounting for various physical, sociodemographic, and psychosocial factors. Its simplicity and ease of interpretation have made it a valuable tool. Self-rated health captures an individual's overall health assessment, including undiagnosed conditions and the severity of current illnesses. This study uses the Longitudinal Study of Ageing and Health in the Philippines (LSAHP), the first nationally-representative panel survey of older Filipinos, to explore how SRH influences mortality among older adults. With a large sample of individuals aged 60 and over, the study aims to fill research gaps and enhance understanding of factors affecting the health and mortality of older Filipinos. Findings show that 30% of older Filipinos reported poor health, particularly among those in the older age group, less educated, in pain, or who have experienced a fall. Consistent mortality patterns across sex, age groups, pain experiences, and fall experiences confirm that poor SRH is a strong mortality predictor. This research enriches the literature on aging and health, offering insights from a young and developing country context like the Philippines.

Keywords: Health and Morbidity, Mortality and Longevity, Longitudinal studies , Linked data sets

See extended abstract.