Validation of self-rated mental health.
BACKGROUND
This article assesses the association between self-rated mental health and selected World Mental Health-Composite International Diagnostic Interview (WMH-CIDI)-measured disorders, self-reported diagnoses of mental disorders, and psychological distress in the Canadian population.


METHODS
Data are from the 2002 Canadian Community Health Survey: Mental Health and Well-being. Weighted frequencies and cross-tabulations were used to estimate the prevalence of each mental morbidity measure and self-rated mental health by selected characteristics. Mean self-rated mental health scores were calculated for each mental morbidity measure. The association between self-rated mental health and each mental morbidity measure was analysed with logistic regression models.


RESULTS
In 2002, an estimated 1.7 million Canadians aged 15 or older (7%) rated their mental health as fair or poor. Respondents classified with mental morbidity consistently reported lower mean self-rated mental health (SRMH) and had significantly higher odds of reporting fair/poor mental health than did those not classified with mental morbidity. Gradients in mean SRMH scores and odds of reporting fair/poor mental health by recency of WMH-CIDI-measured mental disorders were apparent. A sizeable percentage of respondents classified as having a mental morbidity did not perceive their mental health as fair/poor.


CONCLUSIONS
Although self-rated mental health is not a substitute for specific mental health measures it is potentially useful for monitoring general mental health.
Mental Health Commission of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, K1Z 7K4. fmawani@mentalhealthcommission.ca
Farah N
FN
Mawani
Heather
H
Gilmour
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002170:Canada; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003625:Data Collection; D004493:Education; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013997:Time Factors