Time trends of comparative self-rated health in adults aged 25-34 in the Northern Sweden MONICA study, 1990-2014

• Published in: PLOS ONE
• Main Authors: Waller Lidström, Mattias, Wennberg, Patrik, Lundqvist, Robert, Forssén, Annika, Waller, Göran
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Public Library of Science 2017
• Subjects: Research Article; Northern Sweden
• Online Access: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5695772/; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29155858; https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0187896

Self-rated health (SRH) accounts comprehensively for many health domains. The aim of this paper was to investigate time trends and associations between age-comparative self-rated health and some known determinants in a general population aged 24–34 years. Population-based cross-sectional surveys were performed in 1990, 1994, 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014 in Northern Sweden. Out of 3500 invited persons, 1811 responded. Comparative SRH was measured on a three-grade ordinal scale by the question: “How would you assess your general health condition compared to persons of your own age?” with the alternatives “better/worse/similar”. Over the period 1990 to 2014, the percentage of women rating comparative SRH as “worse” increased steadily, from 8.5% in 1990 reaching 20% in 2014 (p for trend 0.007). Among men, this pattern was almost the opposite, with increasing proportions rating “better” (p for trend <0.000). Time trends for physical activity in leisure time; length of education; Body Mass Index; anxiety; depressive emotions and satisfaction with economy showed a similar pattern for men and women. Factors that might contribute to the development of time trends for comparative SRH are discussed.