Physician-evaluated and self-reported morbidity for predicting disability.
OBJECTIVE
This study compared the predictive validity of physician-evaluated morbidity and self-reported morbidity on disability among adults.


METHODS
Subjects from a large national survey (n = 6913) received a detailed medical examination by a physician and were asked about the presence of 36 health conditions at baseline. Disability measured 10 and 15 years later was regressed on the morbidity measures and covariates with tobit models.


RESULTS
Although physician-evaluated morbidity and self-reported morbidity were associated with greater disability, self-reports of chronic nonserious illnesses manifested greater predictive validity. Disability was also higher for obese subjects and those of lower socioeconomic status.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings demonstrate the predictive utility of self-reported morbidity measures on functional disability.
Ferraro
K F
KF
Department of Sociology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind. 47907-1365, USA. ferraro@purdue.edu
Su
Y P
YP
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005544:Forecasting; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D010808:Physical Examination; D012044:Regression Analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012647:Self-Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology