Self-assessed health among indigenous Australians: How valid is a global question?

Objectives. This study assessed the validity of a global measure of self-as sessed health among Indigenous Australians. Methods. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with s elf-assessed health in a nationally representative sample. Results. Among 8782 adult respondents, poorer self-assessed health was stro ngly associated with several factors, including age, number of health condi tions, and recent health actions. The association with health conditions wa s attenuated when the respondent's primary language was not English. Conclusions. Self-assessed health may be a valid measure among indigenous A ustralians whose primary language is English. However, although the measure draws on common experiences of health and illness, it may obscure differen ces in how people incorporate these experiences into social actions.