Association between health self-perception and lifestyle of co resident elderly people

Objective: This study aimed at assessing the relation between the health self-perception and lifestyle of co resident elderly people. Methodology: It was a descriptive and analytical study with a cross-sectional design, population-based, and quantitative approach. The participants were represented by 239 elderly individuals, carried out in Vitória da Conquista, Bahia. The data were collected by means of a Brazil Old Age Schedule multidimensional questionnaire. The level of significance adopted for data analysis was of 5% (α = 0.05). Results: Concerned to the elder lies’ lifestyle, 91.3% do not consume alcoholic beverages and 58.2% have never smoked; Respective to health self-perception, 53.8% considered their current condition as regular. It was observed a statistically significant association between health self-perception and the drinking habit (p=0.029), highlighting that within the ones that used to drink once or more times per week (n=18), 55, 5% (n=10) reported a good self-perception on their condition, while the ones that do not hold drinking habit (n-188), 30.3% (n-57) mentioned a good health self-perception. Conclusion: This work provided substantial information on health self-perception and lifestyle of coresident elderly people, evidencing a relation between drinking and their health self-perception.