The relationship between perceived barriers to healthcare and self-rated health

The main purpose of the current investigation is to examine the extent to which health care barriers are uniquely associated with individual differences in self-rated health. Self-rated health can be easily assessed and is predictive of mortality, health care use and other health outcomes. In this sample of 586 community residents, the six healthcare barriers examined uniquely accounted for 12% of the variance in self-rated health and demographic variables uniquely accounted for an additional 11% of the variance in self-rated health. In conclusion, healthcare barriers were just as important as age, race, gender, and education when accounting for explained variance in self-rated health. Future studies should consider intervening on health care barriers to improve self appraisals of health and subsequently improve health outcomes.

Duke Scholars

Author Eugene Zaverio Oddone Medicine, General Internal Medicine

Author Kevin Phillip Weinfurt Population Health Sciences

Author Hayden Barry Bosworth Population Health Sciences