Health-Related Quality of Life in Rhode Island Adults
Author Information
Author(s): Jiang Yongwen, Hesser Jana
Primary Institution: Center for Health Data and Analysis, Rhode Island Department of Health
Hypothesis
Can multiple indicators of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) be used to characterize patterns of HRQOL in a population and examine their associations with demographic and health risk factors?
Conclusion
The study identified four distinct patterns of HRQOL among Rhode Island adults, with the largest group having good HRQOL and three smaller groups associated with poor HRQOL.
Supporting Evidence
- 76% of Rhode Island adults were categorized as having good HRQOL.
- 9% were classified as physically unhealthy, 11% as mentally unhealthy, and 4% as both physically and mentally unhealthy.
- Older age, being female, and having certain health conditions were associated with poorer HRQOL.
Takeaway
The study looked at how people in Rhode Island feel about their health and found that most are doing well, but some groups have more health problems.
Methodology
The study used data from the 2004 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) and applied a latent class regression model to identify patterns of HRQOL.
Potential Biases
Self-reported data may be subject to recall bias, affecting the accuracy of health status reporting.
Limitations
The study's cross-sectional design limits the ability to determine causal relationships, and it excludes certain populations such as those without land-line phones or in institutions.
Participant Demographics
The sample included 3,999 adults aged 18 and older, with a response rate of 51%, comprising 1,531 males and 2,468 females.
Statistical Information
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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