title: Relationship between transitions in self-rated health and health indicators in Japanese workers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Self-rated health (SRH) reflects lifestyle habits, chronic disease, and psychosocial conditions. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between transitions in SRH and health indicators among Japanese white-collar workers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three-year medical examination data from an occupational field was used. The distribution of data related to SRH, lifestyle habits, treatment of chronic disease, laboratory data abnormalities, job stress, and sickness absences were compared using ridit analysis, and the odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using the first year of observation as a reference.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the observation period, the proportion of workers with poor SRH, self-rated lifestyle habits, sleep, dietary habits, and body mass index increased. Particularly, high job stress (heavy job burden and low job control) and few sickness absences were strongly related to poor SRH.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Unfavorable lifestyles and work-related conditions worsened as SRH declined among workers. The results suggest that health indicators related to SRH are different according to the population. Tracking changes in SRH using indices related to SRH is useful for evaluating the health status in a target group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Health Science, Tokai University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinobu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tsurugano
authors.forename: Eiko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Masako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Negami
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Otsuka
authors.forename: Kengo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Moriyama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health; D010808:Physical Examination; D012647:Self-Assessment; D018582:Sick Leave; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult