Disability and Health Journal
Volume 2, Issue 2 , Pages 49-56, April 2009

The dilemma of measuring perceived health status in the context of disability

  • Gloria L. Krahn, Ph.D., M.P.H.

      Affiliations

    • Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon 97239, USA
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author: 1600 Clifton Road. Fax: (404) 498-3060.
    • ,
  • Glenn Fujiura, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago IL 60612, USA
    • ,
  • Charles E. Drum, J.D., Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon 97239, USA
    • ,
  • Bradley J. Cardinal, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon 97239, USA
    • ,
  • Margaret A. Nosek, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
    • ,
  • the RRTC Expert Panel on Health Measurement

Abstract 

Background

Advances in the conceptual differentiation of health from disability have not been incorporated in popular measures of perceived health status. The inclusion of function in the measurement of health presents a dilemma for researchers assessing the perceived health of people with functional limitations.

Objectives

The purposes of the present paper are to identify this problem in health measurement, describe its implications for disability and health researchers, and outline potential strategies for future measure development of perceived health status.

Methods

Reflecting the International Classification of Function, Disability, and Health, distinctions among the concepts of health, function, and disability are reviewed. Implications of confounded health measurement are discussed in terms of monitoring health status, assessing health disparities, using health as a mediator or moderator of other outcomes, and assessing effectiveness of interventions. The problem of function confounded with health measurement is illustrated with findings using the SF-36 with persons with spinal cord injury.

Results

Recommendations are provided for developing function-neutral measures of perceived health status.

Conclusion

New measures of perceived health status are needed that do not confound function with health.

Keywords: HRQOL, Health measurement, Disability, Function

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 The authors have no financial disclosures or conflicts of interest to declare.

PII: S1936-6574(09)00003-X

doi:10.1016/j.dhjo.2008.12.003

Refers to erratum:

  • Erratum to ‘The dilemma of measuring perceived health status in the context of disability’ [Disability and Health Journal 2(2):49-56] Gloria L. Krahn, Glenn Fujiura, Charles E. Drum, Bradley J. Cardinal, and Margaret A. Nosek, and the RRTC Expert Panel on Health Measurement

    Disability and Health Journal July 2009 (Vol. 2, Issue 3, Page 165)

Disability and Health Journal
Volume 2, Issue 2 , Pages 49-56, April 2009

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