title: Factors associated with self-reported health: a twin study of older African American women.
abstract: This study examined risk factors associated with self-reported health (SRH) in a genetically informative sample of older African American female twins. An interview was conducted with a national sample of 180 African American female twin pairs. Questions included: SRH, demographics, health behaviors, chronic diseases, and functional status. SRH was dichotomized into negative (fair/poor) and positive (good/very good/excellent). Logistic regression for clustered data was used to estimate the odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. In multivariable analyses, IADL limitations (OR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.7-2.0) and a chronic disease index (OR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.4-2.5) were associated with negative SRH. In multivariate within-twin pair analysis, controlling for genetics/shared familial environment, IADLs (OR = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.1-2.7), and increasing numbers of chronic diseases (OR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.3-3.2) remained significantly associated with negative SRH.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. sefurner@uic.edu
authors.forename: Sylvia E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Furner
authors.forename: Katrine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wallace
authors.forename: Lester
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Arguelles
authors.forename: Toni
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miles
authors.forename: Jack
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Goldberg
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012649:Self Concept; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014427:Twins; D016387:Women's Health