The Relationship between Physical-Mental Comorbidity and Subjective Well-Being among Older Adults

ABSTRACT

Objectives

The present study examined the relationship between types and severity of physical-mental comorbidity and subjective well-being (SWB) among older adults.

Methods

The sample was drawn from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) collected in 2011. A total of 6,945 older adults aged 65 to 105 were categorized into four groups using 16 common physical health conditions and two mental health problems: no chronic health condition (n = 562, referent), physical health condition (n = 4,946), mental health problem (n = 56), and physical-mental comorbidity (n = 1,380). Outcome variable was self-reported SWB measured with 11 items. Analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) were used to assess the relationship between types and severity of physical-mental comorbidity and SWB.

Results

After adjusting for covariates, older adults with a mental health problem or physical-mental comorbidity reported lower SWB compared to the no chronic health condition group. Physical-mental comorbidity was associated with lower SWB compared to the physical health condition group. Higher severity level of physical-mental comorbidity was associated with decreased SWB.

Discussion

Findings suggest that mental health problem and physical-mental comorbidity negatively associated with SWB among older adults.

Clinical Implications

Integrative interventions should be developed to target mental health issues and comorbid physical-mental health conditions in the older populations.

KEYWORDS:

• Physical-mental comorbidity
• subjective well-being
• older adults

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.