Self-Assessments of Health by the Elderly: The Impact of Informal Assistance

This paper uses path analysis to explore the impact of informal networks on the relationship between health status indicators and self-assessments of health by the elderly. Data were obtained through personal interviews with a probability sample of 753 noninstitutionalized older persons and with their informal helpers. Consistent with previous research, the data suggest that both sex and age are significant in explaining different ratings by elderly exhibiting similar health status. Amount of help from the informal network has a negative indirect impact on self-assessments through its effect on psychological morale. Exchange and person-environment interaction perspectives were used to interpret the effect of this assistance on self-ratings of health.