HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Han, B. Articles by Guralnik, J. M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Han, B. Articles by Guralnik, J. M.

Change in Self-Rated Health and Mortality Among Community-Dwelling Disabled Older Women

Correspondence: Address correspondence to Dr. Beth Han, 3311 Toledo Road, Room 3409, Hyattsville, MD 20782. E-mail: hih9{at}cdc.gov

Purpose: Our study assessed whether change in self-rated health is a stronger predictor of mortality than baseline self-rated health and the most recent self-rated health (prior to death or loss to follow-up) among disabled older women. Design and Methods: The Women's Health and Aging Study examined disabled older women at baseline and every 6 months for 3 years. During the follow-up period, 253 out of the 905 examined participants died. Cox regression models with time-dependent covariates were used. Results: After baseline characteristics were adjusted for, baseline self-rated health was not related to mortality. After covariates at the most recent observation and covariates measured only at baseline were controlled for, the most recent self-rated health was not associated with mortality either. After time-dependent covariates and covariates measured only at baseline were adjusted for, decline in self-rated health was significantly associated with increased mortality. Implications: Change in self-rated health is a stronger predictor of mortality than self-rated health at baseline and at the most recent observation. Older women with "fair" health are worse off if they are on a declining health trajectory than if their "fair" health is stable. Family caregivers and clinicians need to closely monitor change in self-rated health among disabled older women.

Key Words: Change in self-rated health • Mortality • Disabled older women • Time-dependent covariates

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. S. Moss, C. J. Hoffman, J. Mossey, and M. Rovine Changes Over 4 Years in Health, Quality of Life, Mental Health, and Valuation of Life J Aging Health, December 1, 2007; 19(6): 1025 - 1044. [Abstract] [PDF]