Self-assessed health as predictor of objective health status among rural aged in Nigeria

Structured interviews of 112 old males and females in three rural locations in Nigeria examine the relationship between self-assessed health and four objective health indicators. Results show that although almost all of the respondents describe their health as better or much better than that of their peers, other health indicators reveal evidence of a generally poor health status. There was no significant association between self-assessed health and three out of the four objective health indicators. The best predictor of both objective and subjective health status was the degree of stress experienced by the respondents in the six months preceding the survey. Discussions examine possible reasons for the finding and pay particular attention to those factors which may encourage the overestimation of good health and underestimation of objective health failings among rural elderly in Nigeria.