# A longitudinal study on self-rated health changes in disabled older people

## TL;DR

This study tracks how disabled older people's self-rated health changes over time and how social exclusion and disability onset age affect these changes.

## Contribution

The study introduces a longitudinal analysis of health changes in disabled older people, linking them to social exclusion and disability onset age.

## Key findings

- Self-rated health of disabled older people improved over time with individual differences in initial status and growth rate.
- Economic and social network exclusion were linked to health status changes in disabled older people.
- The impact of social exclusion on health varied depending on the age when disability began.

## Abstract

There is a growing demand for quality healthcare for senior citizens among the disabled older population, considering their rising numbers. This study examines the longitudinal change in the health status of disabled older people and determines its effects on social exclusion and differences based on age at disability onset. The analysis was performed using a multilevel growth model on the health data for disabled older people (≥60 years) derived from the Korea Welfare Panel Study (KWePS). The following findings were observed based on the stated model: (1) The Self-Rated Health (SRH) of disabled older people increased over time, with significant individual differences in the initial status and growth rate; (2) The domains of economic and social network exclusion were associated with changes in the health status of disabled older people; and (3) The longitudinal effects of social exclusion on SRH changes in disabled older people varied according to the age at disability onset. Based on these results, strategies and implications for the development of health-promoting interventions for disabled older people were presented.