Self-rated health and health-related quality of life among Chinese residents, China, 2010.

BACKGROUND: Self-rated health (SRH) and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) are two outcome measures used to assess health status. However, little is known about population-based SRH and HRQOL in China. METHODS: Data from the 2010 China Chronic Disease and Risk Factor Surveillance, a nationally representative sample of 98,658 adults (≥18-year-old) residing in China, were analyzed. SRH was assessed by asking "Would you say that, in general, your health is very good, good, general, poor, or very poor?" HRQOL was assessed by asking "For about how many days during the past 30 days was your health not good due to physical illnesses, injuries, or mental unhealthy?". RESULTS: Overall, 6.3 % of participants rated their health as poor or very poor. The prevalence of poor/very poor health increased with advancing age ranging from 2.0 % in the 18-24 year-olds to 14.9 % in those ≥75 years-old, while it decreased with education levels from 13.0 % in illiterates/those with some primary school education to 2.2 % in college graduates or above. Additionally, women were more likely than men to rate their health as poor or very poor (7.2 % vs. 5.4 %). The reported rate of poor/very poor health was higher in western region residents compared to those in the east (7.4 % vs. 5.3 %). The mean numbers of self-reported physically unhealthy days, injury-caused unhealthy days, or mentally unhealthy days during the past 30 days were 1.48, 0.20, and 0.54, respectively. Older adults had more physically unhealthy days than the younger ones ranging from 2.92 days in those ≥ 75 year-old to 0.95 days in 18-24 year-olds. Women had more physically unhealthy days and mentally unhealthy days than men (1.72 vs. 1.23; 0.62 vs. 0.46, respectively). The highest mean number of physically unhealthy days (2.32) was reported by illiterates or those with some primary school education. The highest mean number of mentally unhealthy days (0.86) reported by college graduates or above. CONCLUSIONS: Substantial variations existed in SRH and HRQOL among age groups, gender groups, education groups, and across regions in China. Considering these disparities will be important when developing health policies and allocating resources.

[Self-rated health status among Chinese residents, China, 2010].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the self-rated health status among Chinese residents in 2010. METHODS: Data was from the Non-communicable Disease & Risk Factor Surveillance in China, 2010. A total of 98 638 adults aged ≥ 18 years were included in the study. Self-rated health was assessed by four questions: (1) Would you assess your health status as very good or good, general (not good/not poor), poor or very poor? (2) How many days was your health not good for physical illness during the past 30 days? (3) How many days was your health not good for injury during the past 30 days? (4) How many days was your health not good for mental illness, which include stress and problem with emotions depression during the past 30 days? After being weighed according to complex sampling scheme and post-stratification, the sample was used to estimate the prevalence of self-rated health. The Rao-scott χ(2) test with different samples was adopted for comparison among groups. RESULTS: In total, 57.5% (95%CI:55.5%-59.5%) of the participants rated their health as being either very good or good, 36.2% (95%CI:34.5%-37.8%) as general, and only 6.3% (95%CI:5.7%-6.9%) as poor or very poor; In different age groups and gender, the differences were statistically significant (χ(2) values were 1179.88, 85.36, both P values were < 0.05) . The reported rate of poor or very poor health increased significantly with advancing age ranging from 2.0% (95%CI:1.5%-2.4%)in 18-24 year-old group to 14.9% (95%CI:12.6%-17.2%) in ≥ 75 year-old group; Females were more likely than males to rate their health as poor or very poor , respectively (7.2%; 95%CI 6.5%-7.9% and 5.4%; 95%CI:4.9%-5.9%). During the past 30 days 18.5% (95%CI:17.1%-19.8%) of the participants was not in good health for physical illness. The reported rate of physical illness increased significantly with advancing age (χ(2) = 211.99, P < 0.01), and it was the lowest in 25-34 year-old group (15.4%; 95%CI:13.7%-17.0%), and the highest in ≥ 75 year-old group (28.3%; 95%CI:24.9%-31.6%) . It was statistically higher among females (21.1%; 95%CI:19.5%-22.6%) compared to males (15.9%; 95%CI:14.6%-17.3%) (χ(2) = 231.81, P < 0.01); the reported rates of physical illness were 17.4% (95%CI:15.3%-19.5%) among residents in the east region, 17.2% (95%CI:14.7%-19.6%) in the middle region, and 21.5% (95%CI:18.7%-24.4%) in the western region(χ(2) = 6.75, P < 0.01). During the past 30 days 2.7% (95%CI:2.3%-3.2%) of the participants was not in good health for injure. The reported rate of injure decreased significantly with advancing age (χ(2) = 25.54, P < 0.01), and it was the highest in 18-24 year-old group (3.8%; 95%CI:2.6%-5.0%), and the lowest in 35-44 year-old group (2.3%; 95%CI:1.8%-2.7%) . It was statistically higher among males (3.0%; 95%CI:2.4%-3.5%) compared to females (2.5%; 95%CI:2.1%-2.9%) (χ(2) = 8.89 P < 0.01) ; the reported rates of injure were 2.3% (95%CI:1.9%-2.7%) among residents in the east region , 2.1% (1.7%-2.4%) in the middle region, and 4.1% (95%CI:2.6%-5.6%) in the west region (χ(2) = 16.26, P < 0.01). During the past 30 days 10.0% (95%CI:8.8%-11.3%) of the participants was not in good health for mental illness. The reported rate of mental illness decreased significantly with advancing age (χ(2) = 92.14 P < 0.01), and it was the highest in 18-24 year-old group (12.9%; 95%CI: 10.6%-15.2%), and the lowest in ≥ 75 year-old group (5.7%; 95%CI: 4.4%-7.0%) .It was statistically higher among females (10.8%; 95%CI:9.5%-12.1%) than males (9.2%; 95%CI:7.9%-10.5%) (χ(2) = 21.59, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The self-rated health status among Chinese residents was good in 2010. Substantial variation exists in self-rated health status across age groups, between genders, and across regions. Considering these disparities will be important for developing health policy and allocating resources.