title: Gender, socioeconomic status, and self-rated health in a transitional middle-income setting: evidence from Thailand.
abstract: Poor self-rated health (SRH) correlates strongly with mortality. In developed countries, women generally report worse SRH than males. Few studies have reported on SRH in developing countries. The authors report on SRH in Thailand, a middle-income developing country.The data were derived from a large nationwide cohort of 87 134 adult Open University students (54% female, median age 29 years). The authors included questions on socioeconomic and demographic factors that could influence SRH. The Thai cohort in this study mirrors patterns found in developed countries, with females reporting more frequent "poor" or "very poor" SRH (odds ratio = 1.35; 95% confidence interval = 1.26-1.44). Cohort males had better SRH than females, but levels were more sensitive to socioeconomic status. Income and education had little influence on SRH for females. Among educated Thai adults, females rate their health to be worse than males, and unlike males, this perception is relatively unaffected by socioeconomic status.
authors.affiliation: Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, Bangpood, Pakket, Nonthaburi, Thailand. sam-ang.seubsman@anu.edu.au
authors.forename: Sam-Ang
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Seubsman
authors.forename: Matthew James
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: Vasoontara
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Yiengprugsawan
authors.forename: Adrian C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Sleigh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003906:Developing Countries; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D012923:Social Class; D013785:Thailand
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