Abstract

OBJECTIVES
This study was performed to examine the health status measured by SF-36 and medical facilities utilization according to the health status measured by SF-36 in male workers.
METHODS
A self-administered questionnaire survey was administered to 786 male workers.
RESULTS
In bivariate analysis, physical functioning score was significantly different among the workers according to age, educational level, economic level, and job type. The bodily pain score and general health score were significantly different according to the workers'economic level and job type. The vitality score was significantly different according to the workers'age, educational level, economic level, and job type. The social functioning score was significantly different according to the workers'age, marital status, economic level, and job type. The role limitation emotion score was significantly different according to the workers'age, marital status, and job type. The mental health score was significantly different according to the workers'marital status, economic level, and job type (p<0.05). The SF-36 scores increased with higher workers'self-rated health status (p<0.05). The self-rated current health status of the workers was good when their economic status was high, their previous year health status was good and their SF-36 score was high (p<0.05). The rates of morbidity incidence and medical facilities utilization for 1 year were lower when workers'SF-36 score was high (p<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
In consideration of the above findings, SF-36 is suitable to measure health status and predict the medical utilization.

• Keywords: Health status;SF-36;Utilization;Worker