| HOME | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|---|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Correspondence: Address correspondence to: Dorly J. H. Deeg, PhD, Vrije Universiteit Medical Center/LASA, Van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands. E-mail: djh.deeg.emgo{at}med.vu.nl
Purpose: This study addresses the question of how the relation between self-rated health (SRH) and mortality differs between genders. In addition to the general question, four specific concepts of SRH are distinguished: SRH in comparison with age peers, SRH in comparison with one's own health 10 years ago, and current and future health perceptions. For these concepts, the gender-specific risks of mortality were evaluated for a short and a longer follow-up period. Design and Methods: Baseline and mortality data from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (N = 1917, initial ages 55–85 years) were used. Mortality risks were evaluated in Cox regression models at 3 and 7.5 years of follow-up, both adjusted for age and for sociodemographic characteristics, indicators of functional and mental health, lifestyle, and social involvement. All SRH measures were scaled from 1 (positive) to 5 (negative). Results: Baseline correlations between SRH concepts were similar for men and women. After 3 years, 12% of the men and 7% of the women had died; after 7.5 years, these percentages were 27 and 15, respectively. In fully adjusted models, current health perceptions predicted 3-year mortality in men (risk ratio of 1.33). At 7.5 years, mortality in men was predicted by current health perceptions and by SRH compared with age peers (risk ratios of 1.25 and 1.23, respectively). In women, no SRH concept predicted either 3-year or 7.5-year mortality. Implications: SRH was a predictor of mortality only in men, not in women. The gender difference showed most clearly at longer follow-up, in the SRH concept "comparison with age peers."
Key Words: Self-rated health • Gender • Mortality • Duration of follow-up
This article has been cited by other articles:
 |
|
 |
|
  H. Bronnum-Hansen, I. Petersen, B. Jeune, and K. Christensen Lifetime according to health status among the oldest olds in Denmark Age Ageing, January 1, 2009; 38(1): 47 - 51. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 K. A. Sargent-Cox, K. J. Anstey, and M. A. Luszcz Determinants of Self-Rated Health Items With Different Points of Reference: Implications for Health Measurement of Older Adults J Aging Health, September 1, 2008; 20(6): 739 - 761. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 K. Nordfjall, M. Eliasson, B. Stegmayr, S. Lundin, G. Roos, and P.M. Nilsson Increased abdominal obesity, adverse psychosocial factors and shorter telomere length in subjects reporting early ageing; the MONICA Northern Sweden Study Scand J Public Health, September 1, 2008; 36(7): 744 - 752. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. Quesnel Vallee Self-rated health: caught in the crossfire of the quest for 'true' health? Int. J. Epidemiol., December 1, 2007; 36(6): 1161 - 1164. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. B. Dowd and A. Zajacova Does the predictive power of self-rated health for subsequent mortality risk vary by socioeconomic status in the US? Int. J. Epidemiol., December 1, 2007; 36(6): 1214 - 1221. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. Singh-Manoux, A. Gueguen, P. Martikainen, J. Ferrie, M. Marmot, and M. Shipley Self-Rated Health and Mortality: Short- and Long-Term Associations in the Whitehall II Study Psychosom Med, February 1, 2007; 69(2): 138 - 143. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. Singh-Manoux, P. Martikainen, J. Ferrie, M. Zins, M. Marmot, and M. Goldberg What does self rated health measure? Results from the British Whitehall II and French Gazel cohort studies. J Epidemiol Community Health, April 1, 2006; 60(4): 364 - 372. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 C. L. van den Brink, M. Tijhuis, G. A.M. van den Bos, S. Giampaoli, A. Nissinen, and D. Kromhout The Contribution of Self-Rated Health and Depressive Symptoms to Disability Severity as a Predictor of 10-Year Mortality in European Elderly Men Am J Public Health, November 1, 2005; 95(11): 2029 - 2034. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 B. Han, C. Phillips, L. Ferrucci, K. Bandeen-Roche, M. Jylha, J. Kasper, and J. M. Guralnik Change in Self-Rated Health and Mortality Among Community-Dwelling Disabled Older Women Gerontologist, April 1, 2005; 45(2): 216 - 221. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 B. Meinow, I. Kareholt, M. G. Parker, and M. Thorslund The Effect of the Duration of Follow-Up in Mortality Analysis: The Temporal Pattern of Different Predictors J. Gerontol. B. Psychol. Sci. Soc. Sci., May 1, 2004; 59(3): S181 - S189. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
D. J. H. Deeg and P. A. Bath Self-Rated Health, Gender, and Mortality in Older Persons: Introduction to a Special Section Gerontologist, June 1, 2003; 43(3): 369 - 371. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
E. L. Idler Discussion: Gender Differences in Self-Rated Health, in Mortality, and in the Relationship Between the Two Gerontologist, June 1, 2003; 43(3): 372 - 375. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
| HOME | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|---|
