Do interviewer and physician health ratings predict mortality?: a comparison with self-rated health.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Despite the serious biases that characterize self-rated health, researchers rely heavily on these ratings to predict mortality. Using newly collected survey data, we examine whether simple ratings of participants' health provided by interviewers and physicians can markedly improve mortality prediction.

Methods

We use data from a prospective cohort study based on a nationally representative sample of older adults in Taiwan. We estimate proportional-hazard models of all-cause mortality between the 2006 interview and 30 June 2011 (mean 4.7 years' follow-up).

Results

Interviewer ratings were more strongly associated with mortality than physician or self-ratings, even after controlling for a wide range of covariates. Neither respondent nor physician ratings subs

SUBMITTER: Todd MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3968811 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature