Title | Question context and priming meaning of health: effect on differences in self-rated health between Hispanics and non-Hispanic Whites. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2014 |
Authors | Lee, S, Schwarz, N |
Journal | Am J Public Health |
Volume | 104 |
Issue | 1 |
Pagination | 179-85 |
Date Published | 2014 Jan |
ISSN Number | 1541-0048 |
Keywords | Aged, Female, Health Status, Health Surveys, Hispanic or Latino, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Mortality, Self Report, United States, White People |
Abstract | OBJECTIVES: We examined the implications of the current recommended data collection practice of placing self-rated health (SRH) before specific health-related questions (hence, without a health context) to remove potential context effects, between Hispanics and non-Hispanics. METHODS: We used 2 methodologically comparable surveys conducted in English and Spanish that asked SRH in different contexts: before and after specific health questions. Focusing on the elderly, we compared the influence of question contexts on SRH between Hispanics and non-Hispanics and between Spanish and English speakers. RESULTS: The question context influenced SRH reports of Spanish speakers (and Hispanics) significantly but not of English speakers (and non-Hispanics). Specifically, on SRH within a health context, Hispanics reported more positive health, decreasing the gap with non-Hispanic Whites by two thirds, and the measurement utility of SRH was improved through more consistent mortality prediction across ethnic and linguistic groups. CONCLUSIONS: Contrary to the current recommendation, asking SRH within a health context enhanced measurement utility. Studies using SRH may result in erroneous conclusions when one does not consider its question context. |
DOI | 10.2105/AJPH.2012.301055 |
User Guide Notes | |
Endnote Keywords | Medical Sciences/Medical research/Language/Studies/Polls/surveys/Hispanic Americans/Interviews/Whites/Personal health/United States--US |
Endnote ID | 999999 |
Alternate Journal | Am J Public Health |
Citation Key | 8079 |
PubMed ID | 23678900 |
PubMed Central ID | PMC3910022 |
Grant List | U01 AG009740 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States |