title: [Self-perceived health, as an indicator of psychological well-being: behavioural epidemiological analysis among the adolescent population].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Self rated health is a widely used measure in behavioural epidemiological studies which is a global, informative indicator of health status and quality of life.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The main goal of the present study was to examine the relationship between subjective health status of adolescents with individual, psychological protective and risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors performed the study among youth in Szeged, Hungary in the autumn of 2010. Data collection was based on self-administered questionnaires. 656 high school students were included in the sample. Logistic regression analyses were applied to detect associations including the individual, psychological indicators as dependent variables and self perceived health as an independent variable.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was found that adolescents with better self perceived health had higher scale points of optimism and satisfaction with life, whereas lower self rated health correlated with higher values of depression and emotional aggression. There were gender differences in both protective and risk factors. Internal locus of control was a protective factor while depression, emotional aggression, and external locus of control were risk factors of psychological health among girls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Self rated health can be a possible indicator of subjective well-being that may open a way to prevention in behavioural medicine.
authors.affiliation: Szegedi Tudományegyetem, Általános Orvostudományi Kar Magatartástudományi Intézet Szeged Szentháromság u.
authors.forename: Pálma
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kriston
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pikó
authors.forename: Eszter
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kovács
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000374:Aggression; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary / Q000453:epidemiology; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D009341:Negativism; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010551:Personality; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D057566:Self Report; D012701:Serotonin / Q000097:blood; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013694:Temperament; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D012701:Serotonin; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D004837:Epinephrine