The authors examined relationships between psychiatric disorder and
perceived general health and physical functioning from data obtained from
interviews with 2,554 non-Hispanic whites and Mexican-Americans in Los
Angeles. Persons with recent psychiatric disorders perceived their general
health as poorer and had more limitations in physical functioning than
persons without such disorders, even when the analyses controlled for
chronic medical conditions and demographic factors. Affective and anxiety
disorders were independently associated with both acute and chronic
limitations in physical functioning. The associations of recent psychiatric
disorder and of chronic medical condition with acute activity restrictions
were similar in magnitude.
Abstract Teaser