title: Health-related quality of life and comorbidity among older women veterans in the United States.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper examines the predictors of quality of life among older women (≥65 years of age) veterans in the United States focusing on the effect of comorbidity on health-related quality of life (HRQOL).
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from the National Survey of Women Veterans, a cross-sectional nationally representative population-based, stratified random sample of women veterans, were used with an analytic sample size of 1,379 older women veterans. The SF12 physical and mental composite scores (PCS and MCS) were used as outcome measures, and a weighted comorbidity index was used as a covariate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Older women veterans who are married, employed, with higher income, and higher education have better physical health (PCS). For mental health, education is positively correlated, whereas depression and posttraumatic stress disorder are negatively correlated with MCS. After adjusting for socio-demographic, mental health, and chronic health indicators, the results showed that SF12 PCS varied by VA use status for each level of Seattle Index of Comorbidity. The same pattern was not found for MCS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For each level of comorbidity, VA users have worse HRQOL which might suggest that case mix adjustments comparing VA users and non-VA users must take into account more than comorbidity alone.
authors: Veterans Emergency Management Evaluation Center (VEMEC), Department of Veterans Affairs, 16111 Plummer St., MS-152, North Hills, CA, 91343, USA, Claudia.Der-Martirosian@va.gov.
authors: Claudia
authors: C
authors: Der-Martirosian
authors: Kristina M
authors: KM
authors: Cordasco
authors: Donna L
authors: DL
authors: Washington
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
references: J Clin Epidemiol. 2008 Feb;61(2):151-9
references: 18177788
references: Arch Fam Med. 1995 May;4(5):411-8
references: 7742963
references: J Trauma Stress. 1999 Oct;12(4):601-12
references: 10646179
references: Psychiatr Serv. 2003 Feb;54(2):214-8
references: 12556603
references: J Gen Intern Med. 2011 Nov;26 Suppl 2:655-61
references: 21989618
references: J Rehabil Res Dev. 2010;47(8):763-71
references: 21110250
references: Heart. 2004 May;90(5):523-7
references: 15084550
references: JAMA. 1993 Jun 23-30;269(24):3140-5
references: 8505817
references: Psychiatr Serv. 2001 Nov;52(11):1521-2
references: 11684750
references: Br J Rheumatol. 1998 Aug;37(8):862-9
references: 9734677
references: Qual Life Res. 2006 Feb;15(1):83-91
references: 16411033
references: Psychiatr Serv. 1997 Feb;48(2):224-30
references: 9021855
references: Women Health. 1999;29(4):17-33
references: 10608667
references: J Asthma. 2004;41(3):327-36
references: 15260466
references: J Clin Epidemiol. 2001 Jul;54(7):661-74
references: 11438406
references: J Nerv Ment Dis. 1999 Jul;187(7):429-34
references: 10426463
references: Med Care. 1996 Mar;34(3):220-33
references: 8628042
references: J Womens Health Gend Based Med. 1999 Jul-Aug;8(6):835-45
references: 10495264
references: Women Health. 2006;43(3):41-62
references: 17194677
references: Med Care. 1994 Jan;32(1):40-66
references: 8277801
references: J Rehabil Res Dev. 2008;45(3):383-93
references: 18629747
references: Psychosomatics. 2002 May-Jun;43(3):195-205
references: 12075034
references: Med Care. 1995 Sep;33(9):906-21
references: 7666705
references: J Gen Intern Med. 2006 Dec;21 Suppl 5:S39-47
references: 17083499
references: Qual Life Res. 2005 Dec;14(10):2303-14
references: 16328909
references: Qual Life Res. 2004 Mar;13(2):283-98
references: 15085901
references: Arch Intern Med. 1998 Mar 23;158(6):626-32
references: 9521227
references: J Rural Health. 2006 Summer;22(3):204-11
references: 16824163
references: Am J Med. 1996 Nov;101(5):526-33
references: 8948277
references: J Clin Epidemiol. 2002 Apr;55(4):371-80
references: 11927205
references: Psychosomatics. 2004 Jul-Aug;45(4):291-6
references: 15232042
references: J Trauma Stress. 2000 Jan;13(1):115-28
references: 10761178
references: J Trauma Stress. 2004 Feb;17(1):1-9
references: 15027787
references: J Gen Intern Med. 2013 Jul;28(7):894-900
references: 23435765
references: J Gen Intern Med. 2006 Mar;21 Suppl 3:S40-6
references: 16637944
references: Psychiatr Serv. 2006 Jun;57(6):851-6
references: 16754763
references: Can J Clin Pharmacol. 2004 Fall;11(2):e232-8
references: 15557672