BACKGROUND: Self-rated health (SRH) has been widely used to measure the overall health status of older adults. Research has shown that SRH is determined by a large array of factors, such as @entity102 conditions, genetic markers (e.g., @entity2204 , @entity2204 , NM_000041), stress factors, and health behaviors. However, few studies have incorporated these factors simultaneously in the analytic framework of SRH. The aim of this study is to examine the associations of these four sets of factors with SRH. METHODS: Using a dataset from a population-based, random-cluster survey of 1,005 elderly respondents aged 54-91 conducted in Taiwan in 2000, we use logistic regressions to examine associations of chronic health conditions, the @entity2204 allele stress factors, and health behaviors with SRH. The four disease conditions include @entity6 , @entity299 , @entity2275 , and @entity1030 . Stress factors are measured by traumatic events (having an earthquake-damaged house) and chronic life stress (financial difficulty). Health behaviors include smoking, drinking @entity285 , vegetable and fruit intake, daily milk intake, and physical exercise. RESULTS: @entity6 , @entity299 , @entity2275 , and @entity1030 are found to be associated with 2.63 (95 % CI: 1.75-3.95), 1.72 (95 % CI: 1.15-2.58), 1.94 (95 % CI: 1.35-2.80), and 2.54 (95 % CI: 1.66-3.92) odds ratios of poor SRH. The @entity2204 allele is found to be significantly associated with poor SRH with odd ratio of 1.58 (95  % CI: 1.02-2.41). Financial difficulty is associated with increased likelihood of poor SRH, with odds ratios of 1.76 (95 % CI: 1.22-2.54) Doing exercise more than 5 times per week are associated with reduced likelihood of poor SRH by 44  % (odds ratio is 0.56, 95  % CI: 0.39-1.82). The interaction term between gender and gastric ulcer showed that the impact of gastric ulcer on SRH is more pronounced in @entity1 than in @entity1 , with an odds ratio of 2.63 (95 % CI: 1.24-5.58). CONCLUSIONS: Chronic conditions and the @entity2204 allele are significantly associated with increased likelihood of reporting poor health, and the associations appear differently among @entity1 and @entity1 . To better understand the mechanism of how @entity1 self-assess their overall health, chronic conditions and genetic components should be considered together with conventional factors such as life stress and health behaviors.

Associations of chronic conditions, XXXX allele, stress factors, and health behaviors with self-rated health.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['women', 'people', 'men'] @entity6 :: ('MESH:D003920', 'Disease') :: ['Diabetes', 'diabetes'] @entity2204 :: ('348', 'Gene') :: ['APOE', 'Apolipoprotein E', 'APOE4'] @entity1030 :: ('MESH:D029424', 'Disease') :: ['chronic obstructive pulmonary disease'] @entity102 :: ('MESH:D002908', 'Disease') :: ['chronic disease'] @entity299 :: ('MESH:D006331', 'Disease') :: ['heart diseases'] @entity285 :: ('D000431', 'Chemical') :: ['alcohol'] @entity2275 :: ('MESH:D013276', 'Disease') :: ['gastric ulcers']
@entity2204 :: (348,Gene) :: ['APOE4']
