title: The relationship between self-rated health and health care service use among women veterans in a primary care clinic.
abstract: This study examined whether self-rated health predicted health service use among women in an equal access primary care clinic setting. Women veterans (n = 139), 23-76 years of age were administered the PRIME-MD questionnaire at their outpatient clinic (OPC) visit which included a self-rated health item and assessment of symptoms. Number of prospective OPC visits was the outcome variable. Women who had poor/fair health were significantly more likely (OR = 3.25) to have more (>12) OPC visits than women who reported excellent/very good health. We conclude that poor perception of one's health is an important predictor of health care use among women veterans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Bosworth
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Butterfield
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Stechuchak
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Bastian
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D009657:North Carolina; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014728:Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014932:Women's Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*