Active Ageing: An Empirical Approach to the WHO Model

Table 2

Definition of variables.

Variable	Coding
Subjective health	1 = very good; 2 = good; 3 = reasonable; 4 = poor; 5 = very poor
Sleep problems	0 = no; 1 = yes
Subjective physical activity	1 = very good; 2 = good; 3 = reasonable; 4 = poor; 5 = very poor
ADL	0 = with difficulties; 1 = without difficulties
Illness	0 = none;1 = 1 illness; 2 = 2 illness; 3 = 3 illness; 4 = 4 or more illness
Psychological distress^a	1 = <9; 2 = [9,12[; 3 = [12,16[; 4 = ≥16
Happiness	1 = nothing; 2 = 2; 3 = 3; 4 = very
Optimism^a	1 = <11; 2 = [11,13[; 3 = [13,15[; 4 = ≥15
Quality of life^a	1 = <24; 2 = [24,26[; 3 = [26,29[; 4 = ≥29
Loneliness	0 = yes; 1 = no
Cognitive impairment^a	1 = <25; 2 = [25,28[; 3 = [28,30[; 4 = ≥30
Vision	1 = no specs and very poor/poor vision; 2 = no specs and acceptable vision; 3 = no specs and good/very good vision; 4 = specs and very poor/poor vision; 5 = specs and acceptable vision; 6 = specs and good/very good vision
Audition	1 = no device use and very good/good audition; 2 = no device use and acceptable audition/3 = no device use and poor/very poor audition; 4 = use device
Smoking	1 = no; 2 = ex-smoker; 3 = yes
Drinking	1 = never; 2 = special occasions; 3 = occasionally; 4 = regularly
Income^b	1 = ≤386 €; 2 = 386 €–772 €; 3 = 772 €–1158 €; 4 = >1158 €
Education level	1 = no formal; 2 = primary; 3 = 5–8 years; 4 = 9–12 years; 5 = university
Peak flow^a	1 = <180; 2 = [180,250[; 3 = [250,340[; 4 = ≥340
Grip strength^a	1 = <18.3; 2 = [18.3,22.9[; 3 = [22.9,29.0[; 4 = ≥29.0
Family^a	1 = <9; 2 = [9,11[; 3 = [11,13[; 4 = ≥13
Friends^a	1 = <5; 2 = [5,8[; 3 = [8,10[; 4 = ≥10
Confidents^a	1 = <4; 2 = [4,7[; 3 = [7,9[; 4 = ≥9
Neuroticism^a	1 = <30; 2 = [30,34[; 3 = [34,37[; 4 = ≥37
Extraversion^a	1 = <39; 2 = [39,41[; 3 = [41,44[; 4 = ≥44
Openness to experience^a	1 = <35; 2 = [35,37[; 3 = [37,40[; 4 = ≥40

^aQuartiles; ^bby reference to the Portuguese Minimum National Wage in 2006.