PIH11 QUALITY-OF-LIFE WEIGHTS FOR THE U.S. POPULATION: SELF-REPORTED HEALTH STATUS AND PRIORITY HEALTH CONDITIONS, BY DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine whether the use of opioids and other medications in a cohort of older adults was associated with self-reported health status. Methods: Among participants in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Screening Trial linked to Medicare Part D claims data and answering a quality-of-life questionnaire, we examined the relationship between medication use over a 5-year period and various self-reported health status variables assessed several years later, including overall health status (STATUS) and trouble with activities of daily living (TADL). Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) for the health status variables and metrics of medication use, including >60-day use, and for opiates, chronic use, with models controlling for demographics (model I), additionally for chronic conditions (model II), and additionally for other medication use (model III). Results: The study cohort included 22,844 PLCO participants (56% women, 90% non-Hispanic whites); 4.2% had chronic opioid use and 12.5% used for >60 days. Fair-poor STATUS was reported in 37.9% of participants with chronic opioid use versus 15.0% of participants without (p < 0.001). ORs for chronic opioid use for fair-poor STATUS (compared to good-excellent) were significantly elevated in all models but decreased from model I (OR = 3.6; 95% CI :3.1–4.1) to model II (OR = 2.7; 95% CI :2.3–3.1) to model III (OR = 2.1; 95% CI :1.8–2.5). ORs for TADL were generally similar to those for STATUS. Other drug classes also had significantly elevated model III ORs for fair-poor versus good-excellent STATUS (range 1.1–1.6). Conclusion: Frequent use of various medication classes correlated with measures of future health status in an elderly population, with opioids having the strongest association. The magnitude of the association decreased after controlling for concurrent chronic conditions but remained elevated. Future research should consider how the use of opioids and other medications impact measures of health-related quality of life.

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Impact of Heart Disease Risk Factors, Respiratory Illness, Mastery, and Quality of Life on the Health Status of Individuals Living Near a Major Railyard in Southern California

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph15122765 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 15 (12) ◽

pp. 2765

Author(s):

Kelly Baek ◽

Semran Mann ◽

Qais Alemi ◽

Akinchita Kumar ◽

Penny Newman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Status ◽

Disease Risk ◽

Perceived Health ◽

Respiratory Illness ◽

Perceived Health Status ◽

Heart Disease Risk Factors ◽

Reported Health ◽

Self Reported Health Status ◽

Heart Disease Risk

The potential health risks for communities that surround railyards have largely been understudied. Mastery and quality of life (QoL) have been associated with self-reported health status in the general population, but few studies have explored this variable among highly vulnerable low-income groups exposed to harmful air pollutants. This study investigates the relationship between self-reported health status and correlates of Heart Disease Risk Factors (HDRF) and Respiratory Illness (RI) with mastery and QoL acting as potential protective buffers. This cross-sectional study of 684 residents residing near a Southern California railyard attempts to address this limitation. Results from three separate hierarchal linear regressions showed that those who reported being diagnosed with at least one type of HDRF and/or RI reported lower perceived health status. For those that lived further from the railyard, mastery and QoL predicted modest increases in perceived health status. Results suggest that mastery and QoL may be helpful as tools in developing interventions but should not solely be used to assess risk and health outcomes as perceived health status may not measure actual health status.

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