Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

LIVE: Thursday 27th June 2024, 18:00-19:30 (CEST)
Join our expert panel to discover why you need to understand the drivers of non-adherence in your patients, and how you can optimize medication adherence in your clinics to drastically improve patient outcomes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
BMC Health Services Research
Published in: BMC Health Services Research 1/2014

Open Access 01-12-2014 | Research article

Single item measures of self-rated mental health: a scoping review

Authors: Farah Ahmad, Anuroop K Jhajj, Donna E Stewart, Madeline Burghardt, Arlene S Bierman

Published in: BMC Health Services Research | Issue 1/2014

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

A single-item measure of self-rated mental health (SRMH) is being used increasingly in health research and population health surveys. The item asks respondents to rate their mental health on a five-point scale from excellent to poor. This scoping study presents the first known review of the SRMH literature.

Methods

Electronic databases of Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, EMBASE and Cochrane Reviews were searched using keywords. The databases were also searched using the titles of surveys known to include the SRMH single item. The search was supplemented by manually searching the bibliographic sections of the included studies. Two independent reviewers coded articles for inclusion or exclusion based on whether articles included SRMH. Each study was coded by theme and data were extracted about study design, sample, variables, and results.

Results

Fifty-seven studies included SRMH. SRMH correlated moderately with the following mental health scales: Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire, mental health subscales of the Short-Form Health Status Survey, Behaviour and Symptom Identification Scale, and World Mental Health Clinical Diagnostic Interview Schedule. However, responses to this item may differ across racial and ethnic groups. Poor SRMH was associated with poor self-rated health, physical health problems, increased health service utilization and less likelihood of being satisfied with mental health services. Poor or fair SRMH was also associated with social determinants of health, such as low socioeconomic position, weak social connections and neighbourhood stressors. Synthesis of this literature provides important information about the relationships SRMH has with other variables.

Conclusions

SRMH is associated with multi-item measures of mental health, self-rated health, health problems, service utilization, and service satisfaction. Given these relationships and its use in epidemiologic surveys, SRMH should continue to be assessed as a population health measure. More studies need to examine relationships between SRMH and clinical mental illnesses. Longitudinal analyses should look at whether SRMH is predictive of future mental health problems.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
Literature
1.
Rohrer JE, Pierce JRJ, Blackburn C: Lifestyle and mental health. Prev Med. 2005, 40: 438-443. 10.1016/j.ypmed.2004.07.003.CrossRefPubMed
2.
Jegede RO: Personality and mental health characteristics of Nigerian university students. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 1980, 61: 67-80. 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1980.tb00566.x.CrossRefPubMed
3.
McMichael AJ, Hetzel BS: An epidemiological study of the mental health ofAustralian university students. Int J Epidemiol. 1974, 3: 125-134. 10.1093/ije/3.2.125.CrossRefPubMed
4.
Robins LN, Helzer JE, Croughan J, Ratcliff KS: National institute of mental health diagnostic interview schedule. Its history, characteristics, and validity. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1981, 38: 381-389. 10.1001/archpsyc.1981.01780290015001.CrossRefPubMed
5.
Wittchen H-U: Reliability and validity studies of the WHO-composite international diagnostic interview: a critical review. J Psychiatr Res. 1994, 28: 57-84. 10.1016/0022-3956(94)90036-1.CrossRefPubMed
6.
Tiwari SK, Wang J: The epidemiology of mental and substance use-related disorders among white, Chinese, and other Asian populations in Canada. Can J Psychiatry. 2006, 51: 904-912.PubMed
7.
Fleishman JA, Zuvekas SH: Global self-rated mental health: associations with other mental health measures and with role functioning. Med Care. 2007, 45: 602-609. 10.1097/MLR.0b013e31803bb4b0.CrossRefPubMed
8.
Hoff RA, Bruce ML, Kasl SV, Jacobs SC: Subjective ratings of emotional health as a risk factor for major depression in a community sample. Br J Psychiatry. 1997, 170: 167-172. 10.1192/bjp.170.2.167.CrossRefPubMed
9.
Zuvekas SH, Fleishman JA: Self-rated mental health and racial/ethnic disparities in mental health service use. Med Care. 2008, 46: 915-923. 10.1097/MLR.0b013e31817919e5.CrossRefPubMed
10.
Nabalamba A, Millar WJ: Going to the doctor. Health Rep. 2007, 18: 23-35.PubMed
11.
Olfson M, Marcus SC, Tedeschi M, Wan GJ: Continuity of antidepressant treatment for adults with depression in the United States. Am J Psychiatry. 2006, 163: 101-108. 10.1176/appi.ajp.163.1.101.CrossRefPubMed
12.
Sawatzky R, Pamela AR, Johnson JL, Kopec JA, Zumbo BD: Self-reported physical and mental health status and quality of life in adolescents: a latent variable mediation model. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2010, 8: e1-e11. 10.1186/1477-7525-8-1.CrossRef
13.
Eisen SV, Ranganathan G, Seal P, Spiro IIIA: Measuring clinically meaningful change following mental health treatment. J Behav Health Serv Res. 2007, 34: 272-289. 10.1007/s11414-007-9066-2.CrossRefPubMed
14.
Eisen SV, Normand SL, Belanger AJ, Spiro A, Esch D: The revised behaviour and symptom identification scale (BASIS-R): reliability and validity. Med Care. 2004, 42: 1230-1241. 10.1097/00005650-200412000-00010.CrossRefPubMed
15.
Streib GF, Schuman EA, Phillips BS: An analysis of the validity of health questionnaires. Soc Forces. 1958, 36: 223-232. 10.2307/2573809.CrossRef
16.
Idler EL, Kasl S: Health perceptions and survival: do global evaluations of health status really predict mortality?. J Gerontol: Soc Sci. 1991, 46: 55-65. 10.1093/geronj/46.2.S55.CrossRef
17.
Vasiliadis H-M, Lesage A, Adair C, Boyer R: Service use for mental health reasons: cross-provincial differences in rates, determinants, and equity of access. Can J Psychiatry. 2005, 50: 614-619.PubMed
18.
Miilunpalo S, Vuori I, Oja P, Pasanen M, Urponen H: Self-rated health status as a health measure: the predictive value of self-reported health status on the use of physician services and on mortality in the working-age population. J Clin Epidemiol. 1997, 50: 517-528. 10.1016/S0895-4356(97)00045-0.CrossRefPubMed
19.
Manora O, Matthewsb S, Powerb C: Self-rated health and limiting longstanding illness: inter-relationships with morbidity in early adulthood. Int J Epidemiol. 2001, 30: 600-607. 10.1093/ije/30.3.600.CrossRef
20.
Arksey H, O'Malley L: Scoping studies: towards a methodological framework. Int J Soc Res Methodol. 2005, 8: 19-25. 10.1080/1364557032000119616.CrossRef
21.
Rohrer JE, Arif A, Denison A, Young R, Adamson S: Overall self-rated health as an outcome indicator in primary care. J Eval Clin Pract. 2007, 13: 882-888.PubMed
22.
Shields M: Social anxiety disorder: Beyond Shyness. Health Rep. 2004, 15 (Suppl): 45-61.PubMed
23.
Harman JS, Edlund MJ, Fortney JC, Kallas H: The influence of comorbid chronic conditions on the adequacy of depression care for older Americans. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2005, 53: 2178-2183. 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2005.00511.x.CrossRefPubMed
24.
Olfson M, Marcus SC: National patterns in antidepressant medication treatment. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2009, 66: 848-856. 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2009.81.CrossRefPubMed
25.
Morin CM, LeBlanc M, Belanger L, Ivers H, Merette C, Savard J: Prevalence of insomnia and its treatment in Canada. Can J Psychiatry. 2011, 56: 540-548.PubMed
26.
Tintle N, Bacon B, Kostyuchenko S, Gutkovich Z, Bromet EJ: Depression and its correlates in older adults in Ukraine. Int J Geriatr Psychiatr. 2011, 26: 1292-1299. 10.1002/gps.2681.CrossRef
27.
Sevim S, Dogu O, Camdeviren H, Bugdayci R, Sasmaz T, Kaleagasi H, Aral M, Helvaci I: Unexpectedly low prevalence and unusual characteristics of RLS in Mersin, Turkey. Neurology. 2003, 61: 1562-1569. 10.1212/01.WNL.0000096173.91554.B7.CrossRefPubMed
28.
Peterson EW, Cho CC, Finlayson ML: Fear of falling and associated activity curtailment among middle aged and older adults with multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler. 2007, 13: 1168-1175. 10.1177/1352458507079260.CrossRefPubMed
29.
Ohtsu T, Kaneita Y, Aritake S, Mishima K, Uchiyama M, Akashiba T, Uchimura N, Nakaji S, Munezawa T, Shimada N, Kokaze A, Ohida T: Preferable forms of relaxation for health promotion, and the association between recreational activities and self-perceived health. Acta Med Okayama. 2012, 66: 41-51.PubMed
30.
Watkins AJ, Kligman EW: Attendance patterns of older adults in a health promotion program. Public Health Rep. 1993, 108: 86-90.PubMedPubMedCentral
31.
Lin E, Chan B, Goering P: Variations in mental health needs and fee-for-service reimbursement for physicians in Ontario. Psychiatr Serv. 1998, 49: 1445-1451.CrossRefPubMed
32.
Vega WA, Kolody B, Guilar-Gaxiola S: Help seeking for mental health problems among Mexican Americans. J Immigr Health. 2001, 3: 133-140. 10.1023/A:1011385004913.CrossRefPubMed
33.
Bergeron E, Poirier L, Fournier L, Roberge P, Barrette G: Determinants of service use among young Canadians with mental disorders. Can J Psychiatry. 2005, 50: 629-636.PubMed
34.
Kim G, Aguado Loi CX, Chiriboga DA, Jang Y, Parmelee P, Allen RS: Limited english proficiency as a barrier to mental health service use: a study of Latino and Asian immigrants with psychiatric disorders. J Psychiatr Res. 2011, 5: 104-110.CrossRef
35.
36.
Druss BG, Rosenheck RA: Use of practitioner-based complementary therapies by persons reporting mental conditions in the United States. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2000, 57 (7): 708-714. 10.1001/archpsyc.57.7.708.CrossRefPubMed
37.
O'Donnell JC: Military service and mental health in later life. Mil Med. 2000, 165: 219-223.PubMed
38.
Mawani F, Gilmour H: Validation of self-rated mental health. Health Rep. 2010, 21: e1-e15.
39.
Jang Y, Park NS, Kim G, Kwag KH, Roh S, Chiriboga DA: The association between self-rated mental health and symptoms of depression in Korean American older adults. Aging Ment Health. 2012, 16: 481-10.1080/13607863.2011.628981.CrossRefPubMed
40.
Kim G, DeCastro J, Chiriboga DA, Jang Y, Allen RS, Parmelee P: Associations between self-rated mental health and psychiatric disorders among older adults: do racial/ethnic differences exist?. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2011, 19: 416-422. 10.1097/JGP.0b013e3181f61ede.CrossRefPubMed
41.
Kim G, Chiriboga DA, Bryant A, Huang C-H, Crowther M, Ma GX: Self-rated mental health among Asian American adults: association with psychiatric disorders. Asian Am J Psychol. 2012, 3: 44-52.CrossRef
42.
Dogra S, Baker J: Physical activity and health in Canadian asthmatics. J Asthma. 2006, 43: 795-799. 10.1080/02770900601034304.CrossRefPubMed
43.
Park J, Knudson S: Medically unexplained physical symptoms. Health Rep. 2007, 18: 43-47.PubMed
44.
El-Gabalawy R, Mackenzie CS, Shooshtari S, Sareen J: Comorbid physical health conditions and anxiety disorders:a population-based exploration of prevalence and health outcomes among older adults. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2011, 33: 556-564. 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2011.07.005.CrossRefPubMed
45.
Katz SJ, Kessler RC, Frank RG, Leaf P, Lin E, Edlund M: The use of outpatient mental health services in the United States and Ontario: the impact of mental morbidity and perceived need for care. Am J Public Health. 1997, 87: 1136-1143. 10.2105/AJPH.87.7.1136.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
46.
Albizu-Garcia CE, Alegria M, Freeman D, Vera M: Gender and health services use for a mental health problem. Soc Sci Med. 2001, 53: 865-878. 10.1016/S0277-9536(00)00380-4.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
47.
Vasiliadis H-M, Tempier R, Lesage A, Kates N: General practice and mental health care: determinants of outpatient service use. Can J Psychiatry. 2009, 54: 468-476.PubMed
48.
Kim G, Jang Y, Chiriboga DA, Ma GX, Schonfeld L: Factors associated with mental health service use in Latino and Asian immigrant elders. Aging Ment Health. 2010, 14: 535-542. 10.1080/13607860903311758.CrossRefPubMed
49.
Ng TP, Jin AZ, Ho R, Chua HC, Fones CSL, Lim L: Health beliefs and help seeking behaviour for depressive and anxiety disorders among urban Singaporean adults. Psychiatr Serv. 2008, 59: 105-108. 10.1176/appi.ps.59.1.105.CrossRefPubMed
50.
Nyunt MSZ, Chiam PC, Kua EH, Ng TP: Determinants of mental health service use in the national mental health survey of the elderly in Singapore. Clin Pract Epidemiol Ment Health. 2009, 5: e1-e9. 10.1186/1745-0179-5-1.CrossRef
51.
Rohland BM, Langbehn DR, Rohrer JE: Relationship between service effectiveness and satisfaction among persons receiving Medicaid mental health services. Psychiatr Serv. 2000, 51: 248-250. 10.1176/appi.ps.51.2.248.CrossRefPubMed
52.
Raleigh VS, Irons R, Hawe E, Scobie S, Cook A, Reeves R, Petruckevitch A, Harrison J: Ethnic variations in the experiences of mental health service users in England. Results of a national patient survey programme. Br J Psychiatry. 2007, 191: 304-312. 10.1192/bjp.bp.106.032417.CrossRefPubMed
53.
Eselius LL, Cleary PD, Zaslavsky AM, Huskamp HA, Busch SH: Case-mix adjustment of consumer reports about managed behavioural health care and health plans. Health Serv Res. 2008, 43: 2014-2032. 10.1111/j.1475-6773.2008.00894.x.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
54.
Yu LC, Wang M: Social status, physical, mental health, well-being and self-evaluation of elderly in China. J Cross-Cult Gerontol. 1993, 8: 147-159. 10.1007/BF00971566.CrossRefPubMed
55.
Yu LC, Zhang AY, Draper P, Kassab C, Miles T: Cultural correlates of self perceived health status among Chinese elderly. J Cross-Cult Gerontol. 1997, 12: 73-89. 10.1023/A:1006545521022.CrossRefPubMed
56.
Cohen JS, Patten S: Well-being in residency training: a survey examining resident physician satisfaction both within and outside of residency training and mental health in Alberta. BMC Med Educ. 2005, 5: 1-11. 10.1186/1472-6920-5-1.CrossRef
57.
Shields M: Unhappy on the job. Health Rep. 2006, 17: 32-37.
58.
de Castro AB, Rue T, Takeuchi DT: Associations of employment frustration with self-rated physical and mental health among Asian American immigrants in the U.S. labor force. Public Health Nurs. 2010, 27: 492-503. 10.1111/j.1525-1446.2010.00891.x.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
59.
Maximova K, Krahn H: Health status of refugees settled in Alberta: changes since arrival. Can J Public Health. 2010, 101: 322-326.PubMed
60.
Statistics Canada. Community belonging and self-perceived health: Early CCHS findings (January to: Your Community, Your Health: Findings from the Canadian Community Health Survey 2005. Health Stat Div: Minsit Ind Catalogue. 2005, 82–621: 1-24.
61.
Mulvaney-Day NE, Alegria M, Sribney W: Social cohesion, social support, and health among Latinos in the United States. Soc Sci Med. 2007, 64: 477-495. 10.1016/j.socscimed.2006.08.030.CrossRefPubMed
62.
Zhang W, Ta VM: Social connections, immigration-related factors, and self-rated physical and mental health among Asian Americans. Soc Sci Med. 2009, 68: 2104-2112. 10.1016/j.socscimed.2009.04.012.CrossRefPubMed
63.
Perera B, Ostbye T, Jayawardana C: Neighbourhood environment and self-rated health among adults in southern Sri Lanka. Int J Environ Res Publ Health. 2009, 6: 2102-2112. 10.3390/ijerph6082102.CrossRef
64.
Lam J, Yip T, Gee G: The physical and mental health effects of age of immigration, age, and perceived difference in social status among first generation Asian Americans. Asian Am J Psychol. 2012, 3: 29-43.CrossRef
65.
Schachter A, Kimbro RT, Gorman BK: Language proficiency and health status: are bilingual immigrants healthier?. J Health Soc Behav. 2012, 53: 124-145. 10.1177/0022146511420570.CrossRefPubMed
66.
John DA, de Castro AB, Martin DP, Duran B, Takeuchi DT: Does an immigrant health paradox exist among Asian Americans? Associations of nativity and occupational class with self-rated health and mental disorders. Soc Sci Med. 2012, 75: 2085-2098. 10.1016/j.socscimed.2012.01.035.CrossRefPubMed
67.
Veenstra G: Mismatched racial identities, colourism, and health in Toronto and Vancouver. Soc Sci Med. 2011, 73: 1152-1162. 10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.07.030.CrossRefPubMed
68.
Haug MR, Ford AB, Stange KC, Noelker LS, Gaines AD: Effect of giving care on caregivers' health. Res Aging. 1999, 21: 515-538. 10.1177/0164027599214001.CrossRef
Metadata
Title
Single item measures of self-rated mental health: a scoping review
Authors
Farah Ahmad
Anuroop K Jhajj
Donna E Stewart
Madeline Burghardt
Arlene S Bierman
Publication date
01-12-2014
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Health Services Research / Issue 1/2014
Electronic ISSN: 1472-6963
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6963-14-398

Other articles of this Issue 1/2014

BMC Health Services Research 1/2014 Go to the issue

Research article

Process evaluation of a point-of-care cluster randomised trial using a computer-delivered intervention to reduce antibiotic prescribing in primary care

Research article

Provider cost analysis supports results-based contracting out of maternal and newborn health services: an evidence-based policy perspective

Research article

PICO, PICOS and SPIDER: a comparison study of specificity and sensitivity in three search tools for qualitative systematic reviews

Research article

Better health outcomes at lower costs: the benefits of primary care utilisation for chronic disease management in remote Indigenous communities in Australia’s Northern Territory

Research article

Is Ghana’s pro-poor health insurance scheme really for the poor? Evidence from Northern Ghana

Research article

Evaluation of a regional ST-elevation myocardial infarction primary percutaneous coronary intervention program at the Rouge Valley Health System