Association between self-rated health and physical performance in middle-aged and older women from Northeast Brazil.

backgroundSelf-rated Health (SRH) is regarded as a simple and valid measure of a person's health status, given its association to adverse health outcomes, including low physical performance in older populations. However, studies investigating these associations in low- and middle-income settings are scarce, especially for middle-aged populations. Understanding the validity of SRH in relation to objective health measures in low-income populations could assist in decision making about health policy and strategies, especially in under-resourced settings.

objectiveAssess the relationship between SRH and physical performance measures in middle-aged and older women in a low-income setting of Brazil.

methodsThis is a cross-sectional study of 571 middle-aged (40-59 years old) and older (60-80 years old) women living in Parnamirim and Santa Cruz in the Northeast region of Brazil. Participants reported their health status and were allocated to the "SRH good" or "SRH poor" groups. The physical performance evaluation included: handgrip strength, one-legged balance with eyes open and closed and chair stand test. The relationship between SRH and physical performance for middle-aged and older women was assessed by quantile regression (modeling medians) adjusted for potential confounders (age, socioeconomic variables, body mass index, menopause status, age at first birth, parity, chronic conditions and physical activity).

resultsMiddle-aged women from the "SRH good" group presented better physical performance with 1.75 kgf stronger handgrip strength (95% CI [0.47-3.02];

conclusionThis study showed that SRH is significantly associated with objective measures of physical performance in a sample of low-income middle-aged women. SRH can be an important tool to indicate the need for further evaluation of physical performance among middle-aged women and can be particularly useful for low-income communities.