Epidemiology
Sharon Cobb; Shervin Assari
Abstract
AbstractBackground and aims: According to the sponge hypothesis, compared to men’s self-rated health (SRH),women’s SRH is more likely to reflect conditions other than chronic medical conditions (CMCs) suchas psychiatric disorders (PDs). As a result, poor SRH is a weaker predictive factor ...
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AbstractBackground and aims: According to the sponge hypothesis, compared to men’s self-rated health (SRH),women’s SRH is more likely to reflect conditions other than chronic medical conditions (CMCs) suchas psychiatric disorders (PDs). As a result, poor SRH is a weaker predictive factor for mortality risk forwomen than men. Most of this literature, however, is done in samples that are predominantly middleclassWhite. To test the sponge hypothesis among economically disadvantaged African Americans(AAs), this study compared low-income AA men and women for the effects of the number of PDs andCMCs on SRH.Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited a non-random sample (n = 150) ofeconomically disadvantaged AA adults with PD(s). Structured face-to-face interviews were used tocollect data. SRH was measured using a single-item measure. PDs and CMCs were also self-reported.We applied linear regression models to test the interactions between SRH and the number of PDs andCMC as well as gender.Results: The number of PDs and CMCs were associated with SRH in the pooled sample of low-incomeAA adults with PD(s). However, we found a significant interaction between the number of PDs andgender. This interaction suggested a stronger association between PDs and SRH for AA women thanAA men. Gender did not alter the association between the number of CMCs and SRH.Conclusion: The number of PDs is a determinant of SRH for low-income AA women but not AA men,supporting the sponge hypothesis.
Epidemiology
Shervin Assari; Maryam Moghani Lankarani
Abstract
Background and aims: The aim of this study was to explore ethnic differences in demographic and socioeconomic determinants of poor physical and mental self-rated health (SRH) in the United States. Methods: We used data from the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys (CPES) 2001- 2003, which included ...
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Background and aims: The aim of this study was to explore ethnic differences in demographic and socioeconomic determinants of poor physical and mental self-rated health (SRH) in the United States. Methods: We used data from the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys (CPES) 2001- 2003, which included a national household probability sample of 18237 individuals including 520 Vietnamese, 508 Filipino, 600 Chinese, 656 other Asian, 577 Cuban, 495 Puerto Rican, 1442 Mexican, 1106 other Hispanic, 4746 African American, and 7587 non-Latino Whites. Demographic factors (age and gender), socioeconomic factors (education and income), body mass index (BMI), and physical and mental SRH were measured. Pearson correlation was used to explore correlates of physical and mental SRH across ethnic groups. Results: While age was positively associated with poor physical SRH, ethnic groups differed in the effect of age on mental SRH. Age was positively associated with mental SRH among Vietnamese, Filipino, Chinese, Cuban, Puerto Rican, and African American individuals, but this was not so for other Asians, Mexicans, other Hispanics, and non-Hispanic Whites. Chinese and Cubans were the only groups where female gender was associated with poor physical and mental SRH. With other Asians being an exception, education and income were protective against poor physical and mental SRH in all ethnic groups. Ethnic groups also differed in how their mental and physical SRH reflect BMI. Conclusion: Demographic and socioeconomic determinants of physical and mental SRH vary across ethnic groups. Poor physical and mental SRH are differently shaped by social determinants across ethnic groups. These ethnic differences may cause bias in health measurement in ethnically diverse populations.