Identifying factors associated with self-rated health according to age at onset of disability.
OBJECTIVE
Although later-onset disability has been associated with poor self-rated health (SRH), factors mediating differences in SRH related to age at onset of disability remain unclear. The present study was designed to identify the variables explaining poor SRH in later-onset disability. We examined chronic disease and functional status as alternatives to psychosocial adaptation as explanatory variables.


METHODS
Our data were taken from the seventh National Survey for People with Disabilities among Korean individuals ≥18 years of age (n =5311).


RESULTS
Those with later-onset disability (onset ages 20-40, 41-64 and ≥65 years) showed higher age-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for poor SRH compared with those with earlier-onset disability (onset ages 0-19 years). The ORs for poor SRH in individuals with later-onset disability were not substantially changed after adjusting for confounding variables including alternatives to psychosocial adaptation (chronic diseases and functional status) as explanatory variables.


CONCLUSIONS
Failure to explain poor SRH in later-onset disability with explanatory variables other than psychosocial adaptation indirectly supports the role of psychosocial adaptation in differences in SRH related to age at onset. Because we could not include appropriate measures of psychosocial adaptation, the use of additional instruments should be considered in future studies.
Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Korea.
Won-Seok
WS
Kim
Sung-Il
SI
Cho
Hyung Ik
HI
Shin
Jong-Hyock
JH
Park
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011788:Quality of Life; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012649:Self Concept; D057566:Self Report; D012944:Social Support; D055815:Young Adult