Background: Self-rated health (SRH) has been demonstrated as a valid and appropriate predictor of incident\nmortality and chronic morbidity. Associations between lifestyle, chronic diseases, and SRH have been reported by\nvarious population studies but few have included data from developing countries. The aim of this study was to\ndetermine the prevalence of poor SRH in Malaysia and its association with lifestyle factors and chronic diseases\namong Malaysian adults.\nMethods: This study was based on 18,184 adults aged 18 and above who participated in the 2011 National Health\nand Morbidity Survey (NHMS). The NHMS was a cross-sectional survey (two-stage stratified sample) designed to\ncollect health information on a nationally representative sample of the Malaysian adult population. Data were\nobtained via face-to-face interviews using validated questionnaires. Two categories were used to measure SRH:\nââ?¬Å?goodââ?¬Â (very good and good) and ââ?¬Å?poorââ?¬Â (moderate, not good and very bad). The association of lifestyle factors and\nchronic diseases with poor SRH was examined using univariate and multivariate logistic regression.\nResults: Approximately one-fifth of the Malaysian adult population (20.1 %) rated their health as poor (men: 18.4 %\nand women: 21.7 %). Prevalence increases with age from 16.2 % (aged 18ââ?¬â??29) to 32.0 % (aged ?60). In the\nmultivariate logistic regression analysis, lifestyle factors associated with poor SRH included: underweight (OR = 1.29;\n95 % CI: 1.05ââ?¬â??1.57), physical inactivity (OR = 1.25; 95 % CI: 1.11ââ?¬â??1.39), former smoker (OR = 1.38; 95 % CI: 1.12ââ?¬â??1.70),\nformer drinker (OR = 1.27; 95 % CI: 1.01ââ?¬â??1.62), and current drinker (OR = 1.35; 95 % CI: 1.08ââ?¬â??1.68). Chronic diseases\nassociated with poor SRH included: asthma (OR = 1.66; 95 % CI: 1.36ââ?¬â??2.03), arthritis (OR = 1.87; 95 % CI: 1.52ââ?¬â??2.29),\nhypertension (OR = 1.39; 95 % CI: 1.18ââ?¬â??1.64), hypercholesterolemia (OR = 1.43; 95 % CI: 1.18ââ?¬â??1.74), and heart disease\n(OR = 1.85; 95 % CI: 1.43ââ?¬â??2.39).\nConclusions: This study indicates that several unhealthy lifestyle behaviours and chronic diseases are significantly\nassociated with poor SRH among Malaysian adults. Effective public health strategies are needed to promote healthy\nlifestyles, and disease prevention interventions should be enhanced at the community level to improve overall\nhealth.
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