Key result
Fair/poor self-rated health was associated with higher odds of medically diagnosed chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease (OR 3.13; 95% CI 2.01-4.87) and hypertension.
Why the study?
The association between self-rated health and medically diagnosed chronic diseases remains understudied in Latino populations.
Is fair/poor self-rated health associated with a higher burden of medically diagnosed chronic diseases in Latino adults in Puerto Rico?
Observational (n=965)
Is fair/poor self-rated health associated with a higher burden of medically diagnosed chronic diseases in Latino adults in Puerto Rico?
Odds Ratio: 4.95 (95% CI 3.27–7.48)
Self-rated health is strongly associated with the burden of medically diagnosed chronic diseases in Puerto Rican adults, suggesting its utility as a simple screening tool to identify individuals in high need of clinical services.
Fair/poor self-rated health was associated with higher cardiovascular disease and hypertension burden; leaves open its screening utility pending longitudinal validation.
Introduction: Latinos report lower self-rated health (SRH) than non-Hispanic White persons. However, the association between SRH and medically diagnosed chronic diseases (MDCDs) remains understudied in Latino populations. This study assessed the relationship between a single-item SRH indicator and MDCD status among predominantly Latino adults in Puerto Rico. Methods: Participants (30-75 years; n=965) of the Puerto Rico Observational Study of Psychosocial, Environmental, and Chronic Disease Trends (PROSPECT) reported SRH (excellent/very good, good, or fair/poor) and MDCD (ever vs never). We performed multivariate logistic regressions to evaluate the association between SRH and MDCD, which adjusted for key socioeconomic, demographic, and behavioral confounders. Results: Twenty-seven percent of participants reported excellent/very good SRH, 39% good, and 34% fair/poor. Participants with fair/poor SRH (vs excellent/very good) were more likely to report MDCD for painful inflammation (odds ratio [OR]=4.95 [95% CI, 3.27-7.48]), kidney disease (4.64 [2.16-9.97]), sleep disorder (4.47 [2.83-7.05]), migraine headaches (4.07 [2.52-6.58]), overweight/obesity (3.84 [2.51-5.88]), depression (3.61 [2.28-5.74]), hypertension (3.59 [2.43-5.32]), high blood sugar (3.43 [2.00-5.89]), cardiovascular disease (3.13 [2.01-4.87]), anxiety (2.87 [1.85-4.44]), arthritis (2.80 [1.83-4.30]), diabetes (2.46 [1.57-3.83]), respiratory problems (2.45 [1.59-3.79]), stomach problems (2.44 [1.57-3.81]), eye disease (2.42 [1.44-4.06]), gallbladder disease (2.34 [1.35-4.05]), liver disease (2.26 [1.38-3.70]), heartburn (2.25 [1.55-3.26]), hyperlipidemia (2.10 [1.44-3.06]), and thyroid conditions (2.04 [1.30-3.21]). Conclusions: SRH may reflect MDCD burden and serve as a valid screener to efficiently identify Latino individuals in high need of clinical services. This is relevant in Puerto Rico, where chronic disease rates remain high amid limited, disparate access to health care.
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Gago et al. (2023) conducted an observational in Medically diagnosed chronic diseases (n=965). Fair/poor self-rated health vs. Excellent/very good self-rated health was evaluated on Medically diagnosed chronic disease (MDCD) for painful inflammation (OR 4.95, 95% CI 3.27-7.48). Fair/poor self-rated health was associated with higher odds of medically diagnosed chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease (OR 3.13; 95% CI 2.01-4.87) and hypertension.
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