Journal article
Self-Rated Health and Adverse Health Outcomes: An Exploration and Refinement of the Trajectory Hypothesis
The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences, Vol.53B(6), pp.S336-S340
11/1998
DOI: 10.1093/geronb/53B.6.S336
PMID: 9826975
Abstract
Objectives. To examine the hypothesis that the relationship between poor self-rated health and adverse health outcomes simply reflects self-assessments of declining health trajectories rather than current health status. Methods. A 12-month follow-up of 786 disadvantaged adults aged 50–99 years old was conducted. Baseline markers of poor self-rated health and declining health trajectory were used to predict 12-month follow-up reports of the expectations of being hospitalized within one year, being placed in a nursing home within five years, and dying within ten years. Hierarchical multivariable logistic regression was used with poor self-rated health entered first, standard epidemiologic covariates entered next, and declining health trajectory entered last. Results. Poor self-rated health was not independently associated with expectations for being hospitalized, but declining health trajectory independently increased the risk of such expectations by 65–88%. Neither poor self-rated health nor declining health trajectory were independently associated with expectations for being placed in a nursing home, but both were independently associated with expectations for dying, increasing such expectations by 70–105%. Discussion. The relationship between poor self-rated health and adverse outcomes is not a simple reflection of unmeasured self-assessments of impending decline or doom. Rather, the effects of poor self-rated health and declining health trajectory appear to be independent and complementary.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Self-Rated Health and Adverse Health Outcomes: An Exploration and Refinement of the Trajectory Hypothesis
- Creators
- Fredric D. Wolinsky - Saint Louis UniversityWilliam M. Tierney - Indiana University
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences, Vol.53B(6), pp.S336-S340
- Publisher
- The Gerontological Society of America
- DOI
- 10.1093/geronb/53B.6.S336
- PMID
- 9826975
- ISSN
- 1079-5014
- eISSN
- 1758-5368
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 11/1998
- Academic Unit
- Health Management and Policy
- Record Identifier
- 9984363663002771
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