Physical disability, recent illnesses and health self-assessment in a population-based study in São Paulo, Brazil.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate health self-assessment and to estimate the prevalence of chronic diseases and recent illnesses in people with and without physical disabilities (PD) in the state of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study comprising two population-based health surveys conducted in 2002 and 2003.


METHODS
A total of 8317 persons (165 with PD) were interviewed in the two studies. Variables concerning to health self-assessment; chronic disease and recent illness were compared in the people with and without PD. Negative binomial regression was used in the analysis.


RESULTS
Subjects with PD more often assessed their health as poor/very poor compared to non-disabled ones. They reported more illnesses in the 15 days prior to interview as well as more chronic diseases (skin conditions, anaemia, chronic kidney disease, stroke, depression/anxiety, migraine/headache, pulmonary diseases, hypertension, diabetes, arthritis/arthrosis/rheumatic conditions and heart disease). This higher disease prevalence can be either attributed to disability itself or be associated to gender, age and schooling.


CONCLUSIONS
Subjects with PD had more recent illnesses and chronic diseases and poorer health self-assessment than non-disabled ones. Age, gender, schooling and disability have individual roles in disease development among disabled people.
Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Public Health, São Paulo University-USP, São Paulo, Brazil.
Shamyr S
SS
De Castro
Chester L G
CL
Cesar
Luana
L
Carandina
Marilisa B A
MB
Barros
Maria C G P
MC
Alves
Moisés
M
Goldbaum
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult