Trajectories of self-rated health in the last 15 years of life by cause of death

Poor self-rated health is associated with increased risk of mortality, but no previous study has examined how long-term trajectories of self-rated health differ among people at risk of subsequent death compared to those who survive. Data were drawn from French occupational cohort (the GAZEL study, 1989-2010). This nested case-control study included 915 deceased men and women and 2578 controls matched for sex, baseline age, occupational grade and marital status. Self-rated health was measured annually and dichotomized into good versus poor health. Trajectories of poor self-rated health up to 15 years were compared among people who subsequently died to those who survived. Participants contributed to an average 10.3 repeated assessments of self-rated health. Repeated-measures log-binomial regression analysis with generalized estimating equations showed an increased prevalence of poor self-rated health in cases 13-15 years prior to death from ischemic and other cardiovascular disease [multivariable-adjusted risk ratio 2.06, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.55-2.75], non-smoking-related cancers (1.57, 95 % CI 1.30-1.89), and suicide (1.78, 95 % CI 1.00-3.16). Prior to death from ischemic and other cardiovascular disease, increased rates of poor self-rated health were evident even among persons who were free of cardiovascular diseases (2.05, 95 % CI 1.50-2.78). In conclusion, perceptions of health diverged between the surviving controls and the deceased already 15 years prior to death. For cardiovascular mortality, decline in self-rated health started before diagnosis of the disease leading to death. The findings suggest that declining self-rated health might capture pathological changes before and beyond the disease diagnosis.