title: The association between self-rated health and impaired glucose tolerance in Swedish adults: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate gender differences in the association between self-rated health (SRH) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in subjects unaware of their glucose tolerance.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional population-based study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The two municipalities of Vara and Skövde in south-western Sweden.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 2502 participants (1301 women and 1201 men), aged 30-75, were randomly selected from the population.
  
  
  METHODS
  IGT was regarded as the outcome measure and SRH as the main risk factor.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of IGT was significantly higher in women (11.9%) than in men (10.1%), (p = 0.029), as was the prevalence of low SRH (women: 35.4%; men: 22.1%, p = 0.006). Both men and women with low SRH had a poorer risk factor profile than those with high SRH, and a statistically significant crude association between SRH and IGT was found in both men (OR = 2.8, 95% CI 1.8-4.4) and women (OR = 1.5, 95% CI 1.0-2.2, p = 0.033). However, after controlling for several lifestyle factors and biomedical variables, the association was attenuated and remained statistically significant solely in men (OR = 2.3, 95% CI 1.2-4.3).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The gender-specific associations found between SRH and IGT suggest that SRH may be a better indicator of IGT in men than in women. Future studies should evaluate the utility of SRH in comparison with objective health measures as a potential aid to health practitioners when deciding whether to screen for IGT and T2DM.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Care Sciences, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: Inger
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ekman
authors.forename: Febe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Friberg
authors.forename: Bledar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Daka
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Lindblad
authors.forename: Charlotte A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Larsson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D005260:Female; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology