Identifying factors associated with self-rated health according to age at onset of disability

Although later-onset disability has been associated with poor self-rated health (SRH), factors mediating differences in SRH related to age at onset of disability remain unclear. The present study was designed to identify the variables explaining poor SRH in later-onset disability. We examined chronic disease and functional status as alternatives to psychosocial adaptation as explanatory variables.

Our data were taken from the seventh National Survey for People with Disabilities among Korean individuals ≥18 years of age (n =5311).

Those with later-onset disability (onset ages 20-40, 41-64 and ≥65 years) showed higher age-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for poor SRH compared with those with earlier-onset disability (onset ages 0-19 years). The ORs for poor SRH in individuals with later-onset disability were not substantially changed after adjusting for confounding variables including alternatives to psychosocial adaptation (chronic diseases and functional status) as explanatory variables.

Failure to explain poor SRH in later-onset disability with explanatory variables other than psychosocial adaptation indirectly supports the role of psychosocial adaptation in differences in SRH related to age at onset. Because we could not include appropriate measures of psychosocial adaptation, the use of additional instruments should be considered in future studies.