The relationship between self-rated health and objective health status: a population-based study

Autoavaliação do estado de saúde e fatores associados: um estudo em trabalhadores bancários

O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar como trabalhadores bancários avaliam seu estado de saúde e os principais fatores associados a esse indicador nessa população. Trata-se de um estudo transversal com 525 funcionários de uma rede bancária do Estado do Espírito Santo, Brasil. A magnitude das associações foi avaliada através de regressão logística hierarquizada em níveis. Verificou-se que 17% (n = 87) dos bancários autoavaliaram seu estado de saúde como regular ou ruim. Estiveram associados à pior autoavaliação de saúde o reduzido nível socioeconômico (OR = 1,80; IC95%: 1,06-3,05), o estilo de vida sedentário (OR = 2,64; IC95%: 1,42-4,89), o excesso de peso (OR = 3,18; IC95%: 1,79-5,65), o baixo apoio social (OR = 3,71; IC95%: 2,10-6,58) e a presença de doenças crônicas (OR = 5,49; IC95%: 2,46-12,27). Concluiu-se que, comparado com outras localidades, houve um expressivo número de bancários que autoavaliaram seu estado de saúde como regular ou ruim, e que a presença de doenças crônicas apresentou-se como o fator de maior impacto sobre a forma como o indivíduo avalia sua própria saúde.

Krankenstand und Präsentismus als betriebliche Gesundheitsindikatoren

Krankheitsbedingte Fehlzeiten in Unternehmen werden im Rahmen des betrieblichen Gesundheitsmanagements häufig als Gesundheitsindikatoren der Belegschaft herangezogen. In einer Querschnittserhebung bei einer Zufallsstichprobe von pflichtversicherten Arbeitnehmer/innen in Oberösterreich (n = 930) zeigt sich jedoch, dass der subjektive Gesundheitszustand von Arbeitnehmer/innen deutlich besser durch Präsentismushäufigkeiten (arbeiten trotz Krankheit) als durch Fehlzeiten prognostiziert werden kann. Präsentismus ist im Vergleich zu Krankenstand stärker mit Magen-Darm-Beschwerden, Muskel-Skelett-Beschwerden, Migräne sowie psychischen Beschwerden assoziiert, welche zugleich wichtige Determinanten der Gesundheitseinschätzung darstellen. Personen entscheiden sich im Krankheitsfall generell und bei Migräne und psychischen Beschwerden im Besonderen häufiger für Präsentismus als für Krankenstand. Speziell bei geringen Krankenstandshäufigkeiten sollten Krankenstandsstatistiken durch Schätzungen der Präsentismushäufigkeiten ergänzt werden. Es ist davon auszugehen, dass insbesondere der psychische Gesundheitszustand besser durch Präsentismus als durch Fehlzeiten abgeschätzt werden kann.

Assistive technology and self-rated health in comparison with age peers: a longitudinal study in 55-64-year-olds

PURPOSE

To determine changes in self-rated health in comparison with age peers (SRH-AP) among 55-64-year-olds, as affected by (1) initiating, (2) ceasing, and (3) prolonging the use of assistive technology (AT).

METHODS

Data included two national cohorts of 55-64-year-olds from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (total N = 1968), with baseline cycles in 1992-93 and 2002-03 and 3-year follow-ups. The effect of AT use on SRH-AP was studied in analyses of variance for repeated measurements, adjusting for age and self-reported disability.

RESULTS

Respondents using AT reported poorer SRH-AP than respondents not using AT. Over time disability increased for respondents prolonging and initiating AT use and decreased for respondents ceasing AT use. No major changes were seen in SRH-AP over time, except for a small improvement for respondents prolonging AT use.

CONCLUSIONS

AT use had a negative influence on SRH-AP, but this influence subsided over time for prolonged AT use. Despite longitudinal changes in disability, there was a marked stability of SRH-AP over time which may be attributed to AT use. Implications for Rehabilitation Both the proportion of 55-64-year-olds using AT and the proportion reporting disability was significantly higher in the recent cohort as compared to the early cohort. 55-64-Year-olds not using AT rated their health compared with age peers (SRH-AP) better than those using AT. 55-64-Year-olds who prolonged the use of AT reported the poorest ratings of SRH-AP, but also showed the clearest improvement in SRH-AP, suggesting that the initial negative influence of AT use on SRH-AP may subside over time.

The influence of locus of control on self-rated health in context of chronic disease: a structural equation modeling approach in a cross sectional study

BACKGROUND

Self-rated health is a robust predictor of several health outcomes, such as functional ability, health care utilization, morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study is to investigate and explore how health locus of control and disease burden relate to self-rated health among patients at risk for cardiovascular disease.

METHODS

In 2009, 414 Swedish patients who were using statins completed a questionnaire about their health, diseases and their views on the three-dimensional health locus of control scale. The scale determines which category of health locus of control - internal, chance or powerful others - a patient most identifies with. The data was analyzed using logistic regression and a structural equation modeling approach.

RESULTS

The analyses showed positive associations between internal health locus of control and self-rated health, and a negative association between health locus of control in chance and powerful others and self-rated health. High internal health locus of control was negatively associated with the cumulative burden of diseases, while health locus of control in chance and powerful others were positively associated with burden of diseases. In addition, age and education level had indirect associations with self-rated health through health locus of control.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that self-rated health is positively correlated with internal locus of control and negatively associated with high locus of control in chance and powerful others in patients at high risk for cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, disease burden seems to be negatively associated with self-rated health.

A single-item self-rated health measure correlates with objective health status in the elderly: a survey in suburban beijing

INTRODUCTION

The measurement of health status of the elderly remains one important topic. Self-rated health status (SRH) is considered to be a simple indicator to measure the health status of the old population. But some researchers still take a skeptical view about its reliability. This study aims to investigate the association between SRH indicator and health status of the elderly and discuss its subsequent public health implications.

METHODS

In a total 1096 people who were 60 years of age or older from 1784 households from a suburban area of Beijing were interviewed using multistage stratified cluster sampling. SRH was measured by a single question "please choose one point in this 0-100 scale, which can best represent your health today." The disease status and physical functional status were also obtained. A multiple linear regression was conducted to test the associate between SRH and individual's disease/functional status.

RESULTS

The average of SRH scores of the elderly was 72.49 ± 15.64 (on a 1-100 scale). The SRH scores declined not only with the severity of self-reported mental/disease status, but also with the decrease of physical functional status. Multiple linear regression showed that after adjustment for other variables, 2-week sickness, chronic diseases, hospitalization, and ability of self-care (washing and dressing) were able to explain 35% of the variation in SRH among the elderly. Among them, disease status and self-care ability were the most powerful predictor of SRH. After adjusting other variables, physical functional status could explain only 5% of the variation in SRH.

CONCLUSION

Self-rated health reflects the disease/functional health status of the elderly. It is an easy-to-implement variable and it can reduce both recall bias and investigator bias, thus being widely used in health surveys. It is a cost-effective means of measuring the health status. However, the comparability of SRH in different populations should be studied in future.

Days of heroin use predict poor self-reported health in hospitalized heroin users

This study examined associations between substance use behaviors and self-reported health among hospitalized heroin users. Of the 112 participants, 53 (47%) reported good or better health. In multivariable logistic regression models, each day of heroin use in the last month was associated with an 8% lower odds of reporting health as good or better (OR=.92; 95% CI 0.87, 0.97, p<.05). Cocaine, cannabis, cigarettes, alcohol use, unintentional overdose, nor injection drug use was associated with health status.