Prospective study of predictors of poor self-rated health in a 23-year cohort of earthquake survivors in Armenia

Anahit Demirchyan; Varduhi Petrosyan; Haroutune K. Armenian; Vahe Khachadourian

doi:10.1016/j.jegh.2014.12.006

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Volume 5, Issue 3, September 2015, Pages 265 - 274

Prospective study of predictors of poor self-rated health in a 23-year cohort of earthquake survivors in Armenia

Authors

Anahit Demirchyan^a^{, *}^,ademirch@aua.am, Varduhi Petrosyan^a, Haroutune K. Armenian^b, Vahe Khachadourian^a

^aSchool of Public Health, American University of Armenia, 40 Marshal Baghramian Ave., Yerevan 0019, Armenia

^bDepartment of Epidemiology, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, 650 Charles E. Young Dr. South, 16-035 Center for Health Sciences, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1772, USA

^*Corresponding author. Tel.: +374 60 612562; fax: +374 60 612566.

Corresponding Author

Anahit Demirchyanademirch@aua.am

Received 4 September 2014, Revised 23 October 2014, Accepted 21 December 2014, Available Online 14 February 2015.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jegh.2014.12.006 How to use a DOI?
Keywords: Self-rated health; Predictor; Earthquake; Survivor; Long-term cohort
Abstract: Long-term prospective studies exploring general health outcomes among disaster survivors are rare. Self-rated health (SRH) – a proven correlate of morbidity and mortality prognosis – was used to investigate predictors of perceived health status among a 23-year cohort of survivors of 1988 Spitak earthquake in Armenia. A geographically-stratified subsample of 725 adults from a larger initial cohort was followed during the period of 1990–2012. A logistic regression model identified predictors of SRH. Adjusted relative risks for the long-term predictors of SRH were calculated. The rate of poor SRH among the survivors was 18.8%, fair 56.5%, and good/excellent 24.7%. In the fitted model, long-term risk factors of poor SRH included baseline body mass index, baseline multi-morbidity, number of experienced stressful life events, and perceived poor living standards during the post-earthquake decade, while participation in sports in the early 1990s was a protective factor. Short-term protective factors included socio-economic status score, social support, employment and dignity, while current household size was a risk factor for poor SRH. No association was found between earthquake exposure severity and SRH after 23 years. However, the identified predictors included a number of modifiable lifestyle, material and psychological factors. Thus, interventions targeting these factors could have a long-lasting impact on disaster victims’ health status.
Copyright: © 2015 Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Open Access: This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

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Journal: Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health
Volume-Issue: 5 - 3
Pages: 265 - 274
Publication Date: 2015/02/14
ISSN (Online): 2210-6014
ISSN (Print): 2210-6006
DOI: 10.1016/j.jegh.2014.12.006 How to use a DOI?
Open Access: This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Cite this article

ris enw bib

TY  - JOUR
AU  - Anahit Demirchyan
AU  - Varduhi Petrosyan
AU  - Haroutune K. Armenian
AU  - Vahe Khachadourian
PY  - 2015
DA  - 2015/02/14
TI  - Prospective study of predictors of poor self-rated health in a 23-year cohort of earthquake survivors in Armenia
JO  - Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health
SP  - 265
EP  - 274
VL  - 5
IS  - 3
SN  - 2210-6014
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jegh.2014.12.006
DO  - 10.1016/j.jegh.2014.12.006
ID  - Demirchyan2015
ER  -

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