Interpreting self reported limiting long term illness.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the association between self reported limiting long term illness and other dimensions of self reported health.


METHODS
Stratified random sample of general population.


METHODS
Lothian region, Scotland, in 1993.


METHODS
6212 men and women aged 16 and over.


METHODS
Limiting long term illness was assessed by the same question as used in the 1991 United Kingdom census. The short form 36 health survey was used to assess other dimensions of health.


RESULTS
Rates of limiting long term illness were much higher than reported in the census. Scores on general and physical health scales had strong associations with limiting long term illness, but after adjustment for these associations psychosocial health measures had little influence on limiting long term illness. Being at the lower rather than the upper quartile on the physical functioning scale more than doubled the odds of having limiting long term illness. Reported prevalence of many common illnesses was between two and three times higher among those with limiting long term illness.


CONCLUSIONS
A positive response to the question used by the census to define limiting long term illness was strongly associated with physical limitations on activity and less strongly influenced by scores on scales of mental and social wellbeing. Socioeconomic effects on limiting long term illness seem largely mediated through measures of general health and physical limitations on health.
Cohen
G
G
Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical School, University of Edinburgh.
Forbes
J
J
Garraway
M
M
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires