Introduction
One of the global health challenges, including Indonesia, today is the need to achieve active and healthy elderly. One important factor is good self-perception of health in this group of age. Good self-perception of health will encourage someone to actively maintain their health, which leads to a longer life. Therefore, research on the perception of health in the elderly and factors that influence it has been performed in several countries. Associated with it, a similar research was planned at Unika Atma Jaya.
Method
This study used cross sectional with a target population that is 146 lecturers and employees of the age 45 years or above in the Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Psychology, Faculty of Biotechnology at Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia. Of the total population planned to be interviewed, we gained as much as 49,32% respondents. Respondents were interviewed using a questionnaire that has been tested. The information collected consist of; demographic characteristics, psychosocial factor, respondents’ illness, health promotion activities, and respondents’ perception of health.
Results
Of the 72 respondents, 69,4% had good or very good perception of health. Perceived susceptibility of disease was significantly associated with poor perception of health, the greater the perceived susceptibility the poorer the perception of health will be. Perceived severity of disease was significantly associated with poor perception of health, the greater the perceived severity the poorer the perception of health will be. Chronic disease was also significantly associated with poor perception of health, i.e. people who suffer from chronic disease tend to have poorer perception of health.
Conclusion
The study found that 69,4% respondents had good or very good perception of health. This result is better than the perception of health in Singapore (52,7%) and Thailand (43,9%). Perceived susceptibility of disease, perceived severity of disease, and chronic disease were the determinant factors of poor perception of health among lecturers and employees of the age 45 years or above at Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia. |