title: Socioeconomic inequalities in global and relative self-rated health in Laos: a cross-sectional study of 24,162 men and women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study examines inequalities in health in Laos. Because perception of health might affect ratings, we used both a global and a relative self-rated health (SRH) question.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was based on the fourth Lao Expenditure and Consumption Survey, 2007-2008. The study population consisted of 24 162 individuals 20 years or older. Two single-question measures of SRH were used: a global with no reference point and a relative with age group reference.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant associations were found with age, sex, illiteracy, ethnicity, remote location, health measures, nutrition, and household poverty. Worse health was reported using SRH questions with reference points by the young rather than the old.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In Laos, poor SRH is associated with illiteracy, inaccessibility, Mon-Khmer ethnicity, age, being a woman, and being poor. More factors were found to be associated with global rather than relative SRH.
authors.affiliation: Lund University, Lund, Sweden magnus.andersson@ace.lu.se.
authors.forename: Magnus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.affiliation: Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lundin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007812:Laos; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057566:Self Report; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult