Self-rated health and mortality in a Lithuanian and a Dutch population.
The hypothesis that the evaluation of one's health as poor is associated with mortality, independent of the results of a standardized medical examination, was tested in the Kaunas-Rotterdam Follow-Up Study. In this study two cohorts, one consisting of 2452 Lithuanian males and one of 3365 Dutch males, aged 45-60, were screened for cardiovascular risk factors in 1973, using identical protocols, and were followed for about ten years. Self-rated health was assessed by two direct questions: 'How would you assess your own health?' and 'What do you think of your own health compared to that of other men of your age?' as well as by a Semantic Differential Test of 'My Health'. In both cohorts a negative evaluation of one's health was associated with mortality, controlling for past or present heart disease, cardiovascular risk factors, parental life span, socio-economic and marital status. Especially the data with regard to the comparative question indicate that self-rated health is associated with mortality in men living in two different socio-cultural systems. The date suggest that a weak sense of mastery may explain the association between health perception and mortality.
Appels
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A
Department of Medical Psychology, University of Limburg, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Bosma
H
H
Grabauskas
V
V
Gostautas
A
A
Sturmans
F
F
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control; D002423:Cause of Death; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008097:Lithuania / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D012659:Semantic Differential