Health-Related Quality of Life in Adults from North Carolina
Author Information
Author(s): Callahan Leigh F., Shreffler Jack, Mielenz Thelma J., Kaufman Jay S., Schoster Britta, Randolph Randy, Sloane Philip, DeVellis Robert, Weinberger Morris
Primary Institution: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Hypothesis
How do individual and community socioeconomic statuses affect health-related quality of life in different racial groups?
Conclusion
Better health-related quality of life measures are generally associated with low levels of community poverty and high levels of education.
Supporting Evidence
- Lower individual socioeconomic status is linked to poorer health outcomes.
- Community socioeconomic factors can influence individual health outcomes.
- Education level is a strong marker of individual socioeconomic status.
Takeaway
People who have more education and live in wealthier neighborhoods tend to feel healthier and happier.
Methodology
Participants completed self-report questionnaires on demographics, chronic conditions, health behaviors, and health status, with analyses stratified by race.
Potential Biases
Self-reported data may introduce bias, and the community socioeconomic status measure may be too crude.
Limitations
The study relied on self-reported data and used education level as the sole measure of individual socioeconomic status.
Participant Demographics
Participants included 3,612 whites and 953 African Americans, with a mix of urban and rural residents.
Statistical Information
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
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