Alternative Measures of Self-Rated Health for Predicting Mortality Among Older People: Is Past or Future Orientation More Important?

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to com-pare the prognostic validity of alternative measures of health ratings, including those that tap tempo-ral reflections, on adult mortality. Design and Methods: The study uses a national sample of 1,266 Americans 50–74 years old in 1995, with vital status tracked through 2005, to compare the effect of 3 types of health ratings on mortality: con-ventional indicator of self-rated health (SRH), age comparison form of SRH, and health ratings that incorporate temporal dimensions. Logistic regres-sion was used to estimate the odds of mortality asso-ciated with alternative health ratings while adjusting for health conditions, lifestyle factors, and status char-acteristics and resources. Results: Self-rate