Related Experiment Videos
The effect of point of reference on the association between self-rated health and mortality
Kristiina Manderbacka1, Ingemar Kåreholt, Pekka Martikainen
1National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health, Health Services Research, FIN-00531, Helsinki, Finland. kristina.manderbacka@stakes.fi
Abstract:
This study examines the effect of point of reference on the predictive validity of self-rated health for mortality in a 5-year follow-up period. Two self-rated health measures are examined: an age group comparative question and a global question with no explicit point of reference. The baseline data (SweOld) is a nationally representative interview survey among Swedish people aged 77+ in 1992. Mortality for the 1992-1996 period was analysed using Cox proportional hazards regression models. Age-referential self-rated health was found to be a better predictor of elderly men's mortality both in non-adjusted models and in models adjusting for age and both self-rated health measures. In separate analyses, both measures were found to be equally strong predictors of women's mortality. When adding both measures into the model simultaneously, the age-referential question lost much of its predictive power. The findings suggest that self-rated health measures are not insensitive to differences in question wording.
Related Concept Videos
Regression Toward the Mean
Criteria for Causality: Bradford Hill Criteria - I
Self-Evaluation Maintenance Model
Actuarial Approach
Consider the example of a high-risk surgical procedure with significant early-stage mortality. A two-year clinical study is conducted,...
Self-Discrepancy and Its Effects
Dimensions of Health and Illness