PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess whether there is an enduring gender difference in the ability of self-rated health to predict mortality and investigate whether self-reported physical health problems account for this difference. DESIGN AND METHODS: Cox models for 4-year survival were fitted to data from successive cohorts aged 75-81 years registered with a primary care practice in the U.K. Midlands surveyed in 1981, 1988, and 1993-1995. RESULTS: Self-rated health was consistently a stronger predictor in men (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.7; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.1-3.5) than it was in women (HR = 1.9; 95% CI = 1.5-2.4). Women surveyed in 1993-1995 were more likely than men to report problems that were disabling but not life-threatening, whereas men were more likely to report potentially life-threatening problems. However, these differences did not explain the association of self-rated health with mortality. More than half of those who reported a potentially life-threatening problem said that their health was good. IMPLICATIONS: Self-rated health is more strongly associated with mortality in men, but this is unlikely to be explained by differences in the nature of their physical health problems.
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess whether there is an enduring gender difference in the ability of self-rated health to predict mortality and investigate whether self-reported physical health problems account for this difference. DESIGN AND METHODS: Cox models for 4-year survival were fitted to data from successive cohorts aged 75-81 years registered with a primary care practice in the U.K. Midlands surveyed in 1981, 1988, and 1993-1995. RESULTS: Self-rated health was consistently a stronger predictor in men (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.7; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.1-3.5) than it was in women (HR = 1.9; 95% CI = 1.5-2.4). Women surveyed in 1993-1995 were more likely than men to report problems that were disabling but not life-threatening, whereas men were more likely to report potentially life-threatening problems. However, these differences did not explain the association of self-rated health with mortality. More than half of those who reported a potentially life-threatening problem said that their health was good. IMPLICATIONS: Self-rated health is more strongly associated with mortality in men, but this is unlikely to be explained by differences in the nature of their physical health problems.
Authors: Nicola Veronese; Giacomo Siri; Alberto Cella; Julia Daragjati; Alfonso J Cruz-Jentoft; Maria Cristina Polidori; Francesco Mattace-Raso; Marc Paccalin; Eva Topinkova; Antonio Greco; Arduino A Mangoni; Stefania Maggi; Luigi Ferrucci; Alberto Pilotto Journal: Maturitas Date: 2019-08-03 Impact factor: 4.342
Authors: Archana Singh-Manoux; Aline Dugravot; Martin J Shipley; Jane E Ferrie; Pekka Martikainen; Marcel Goldberg; Marie Zins Journal: Int J Epidemiol Date: 2007-11-19 Impact factor: 7.196
Authors: Archana Singh-Manoux; Alice Guéguen; Jane Ferrie; Martin Shipley; Pekka Martikainen; Sébastien Bonenfant; Marcel Goldberg; Michael Marmot Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2008-01-30 Impact factor: 9.308