The Effect of Injuries on Health Measured by Short Form 8 Among a Large Cohort of Thai Adults

PLoS One, 9(2), 2014, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0088903

8 Pages Posted: 14 Aug 2014

See all articles by Vasoontara Yiengprugsawan

Vasoontara Yiengprugsawan

Australian National University (ANU)

Janneke Berecki-Gisolf

Monash University

Roderick McClure

Monash University

Matthew Kelly

Australian National University (ANU) - National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health

Sam-Ang Seubsman

Australian National University (ANU)

Adrian Sleigh

Australian National University (ANU) - National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health

Date Written: February 13, 2014

Abstract

Introduction: We investigate the links between health and injury in Thailand. This is important because of the high burden of injury in transitional countries and limited information for public health.

Methods: We analyse 2005 baseline and 2009, 4-year follow-up data from distance learning students of Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University residing nationwide (n = 60569). Injury was reported for the past year in both periods. Medical Outcome Study Short-Form (SF-8™) health status was reported and Physical and Mental Component Summary Scores (PCS and MCS) were calculated. Analyses used covariate-adjusted multivariate linear regression.

Results: In 2009, increasing numbers of traffic injuries (0, 1, 2, 3, 4 ) associated with declining PCS scores (49.8, 48.4, 46.9, 46.2, 44.0), along with a similar monotonic decline for MCS scores (47.6, 46.0, 44.2, 42.7, 40.6). A similar (but smaller) dose-response gradient was found between non-traffic injuries and SF-8 scores. Longitudinal analyses showed those with incident injury (no injury 2005, injury 2009) had lower PCS and MCS scores compared to those with no injury in both periods. Individuals with reverting injury status (injury 2005, no injury 2009) reported improvement in PCS and MCS scores over the four-year period.

Conclusion: We found significant and epidemiologically important associations between increasing injury frequency and worse health in the past year, especially traffic injuries. Longitudinal 2005-2009 results were supportive and revealed statistically significant adverse 4-year effects of incident injury on health. If injury reverted over four years, low initial scores improved greatly. Findings highlight the importance of injury prevention as a public health priority.

Suggested Citation

Yiengprugsawan, Vasoontara and Berecki-Gisolf, Janneke and McClure, Roderick and Kelly, Matthew and Seubsman, Sam-Ang and Sleigh, Adrian, The Effect of Injuries on Health Measured by Short Form 8 Among a Large Cohort of Thai Adults (February 13, 2014). PLoS One, 9(2), 2014, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0088903, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2478849

Vasoontara Yiengprugsawan (Contact Author)

Australian National University (ANU) ( email )

Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601
Australia

Janneke Berecki-Gisolf

Monash University ( email )

23 Innovation Walk
Wellington Road
Clayton, Victoria 3800
Australia

Roderick McClure

Monash University ( email )

23 Innovation Walk
Wellington Road
Clayton, Victoria 3800
Australia

Matthew Kelly

Australian National University (ANU) - National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health ( email )

Sam-Ang Seubsman

Australian National University (ANU) ( email )

Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601
Australia

Adrian Sleigh

Australian National University (ANU) - National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health ( email )

Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
Australia

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