Table 2

Mean number of days adults felt sad, blue or depressed by HRQOL* and sex**

HRQOL variable
Males
Females
Male & Females


N
Mean
95% CI
N
Mean
95% CI
N
Mean
95% CI

Physically unhealthy days









0 days
48,188
1.7
1.6–1.8
63,192
2.6
2.5–2.7
111,380
2.2
2.0–2.3
1–2 days
6,792
2.3
2.1–2.5
10,855
3.0
2.8–3.2
17,647
2.6
2.5–2.8
3–13 days
6,371
3.6
3.4–3.9
12,631
4.6
4.4–4.8
19,002
4.2
4.1–4.4
14–29 days
1,959
5.9
5.3–6.5
4,614
7.5
7.0–8.0
6,573
6.9
6.5–7.3
30 days
3,539
8.1
7.3–8.8
6,207
9.3
8.6–9.9
9,746
8.7
8.3–9.2
all categories
66,849
2.4
2.3–2.5
97,499
3.5
3.4–3.6
164,348
3.0
2.9–3.1
Mentally unhealthy days









0 days
50,042
1.1
1.0–1.2
63,446
1.5
1.4–1.6
113,488
1.3
1.2–1.4
1–2 days
5,446
2.1
1.9–2.2
9,644
2.2
2.0–2.3
15,090
2.1
2.0–2.2
3–13 days
6,717
4.9
4.6–5.2
14,219
5.2
5.0–5.3
20,936
5.0
4.8–5.2
14–29 days
2,194
11.1
10.5–11.8
5,318
12.6
12.2–13.1
7,512
12.1
11.7–12.5
30 days
2,366
16.1
15.3–16.9
5,173
17.2
16.6–17.7
7,539
16.8
16.3–17.2
all categories
66,765
2.4
2.3–2.5
97,800
3.5
3.4–3.6
164,565
3.0
2.9–3.1
Unhealthy days+









0 days
38,831
0.9
0.8–1.0
45,983
1.3
1.2–1.4
84,814
1.1
1.0–1.2
1–2 days
7,675
1.4
1.3–1.5
11,093
1.5
1.4–1.6
18,768
1.5
1.4–1.6
3–13 days
10,963
2.9
2.8–3.0
20,785
3.4
3.3–3.5
31,748
3.2
3.1–3.5
14–29 days
3,344
6.7
6.3–7.2
7,935
7.7
7.4–8.0
11,279
7.4
7.1–7.6
30 days
5,446
10.7
10.2–11.3
10,678
12.4
12.1–12.8
16,124
11.7
11.4–12.1
all categories
66,259
2.4
2.3–2.5
96,474
3.5
3.4–3.6
162,733
3.0
2.9–3.1
Activity limitation days









0 days
56,202
1.7
1.6–1.8
77,711
2.6
2.5–2.7
133,913
2.1
2.0–2.2
1–2 days
3,556
2.5
2.2–2.7
6,446
3.3
3.1–3.5
10,002
3.0
2.8–3.1
3–13 days
3,462
5.3
4.9–5.7
7,169
6.6
6.3–6.9
10,631
6.1
5.8–6.4
14–29 days
1,305
10.2
9.4–11.0
2,887
11.8
11.2–12.5
4,192
11.2
10.7–11.7
30 days
1,962
12.3
11.3–13.4
3,204
13.6
12.7–14.5
5,166
13.0
12.2–13.7
all categories
66,487
2.4
2.3–2.5
97,417
3.5
3.4–3.6
163,904
3.0
2.9–3.1
Anxiety days









0 days
32,664
0.6
0.5–0.7
38,600
0.8
0.7–0.9
71,264
0.7
0.6–0.8
1–2 days
11,739
1.1
1.0–1.2
17,592
1.3
1.2–1.4
29,331
1.2
1.1–1.3
3–13 days
14,076
3.1
3.0–3.3
25,130
3.7
3.6–3.8
39,206
3.4
3.3–3.5
14–29 days
3,946
9.4
8.9–9.9
7,834
10.2
9.9–10.6
11,780
9.9
9.6–10.1
30 days
4,018
13.9
13.3–14.5
8,017
15.0
14.6–15.5
12,035
14.5
14.2–14.9
all categories
66,443
2.4
2.3–2.5
97,173
3.6
3.4–3.7
163,616
3.0
2.9–3.1
Pain days









0 days
52,475
1.7
1.6–1.8
72,697
2.6
2.5–2.7
125,172
2.2
2.0–2.2
1–2 days
4,421
2.6
2.3–2.8
7,143
3.5
3.3–3.8
11,564
3.1
2.9–3.3
3–13 days
4,815
3.8
3.6–4.1
8,598
5.5
5.2–5.8
13,413
4.8
4.5–5.0
14–29 days
1,762
6.8
6.1–7.4
3,642
8.6
8.1–9.2
5,405
7.9
7.4–8.3
30 days
3,363
9.1
8.3–9.9
5,612
10.3
9.6–11.0
8,975
9.7
9.2–10.3
all categories
66,836
2.4
2.3–2.5
97,692
3.6
3.4–3.7
164,528
3.0
2.9–3.1
Sleeplessness days









0 days
24,107
1.6
1.5–1.7
31,809
2.2
2.1–2.3
55,916
1.9
1.8–2.0
1–2 days
7,750
1.1
1.0–1.2
10,410
1.6
1.5–1.8
18,160
1.4
1.3–1.5
3–13 days
20,007
2.1
2.0–2.2
29,594
2.8
2.7–2.9
49,601
2.5
2.4–2.6
14–29 days
8,407
5.0
4.6–5.3
13,633
6.0
5.8–6.3
22,040
5.5
5.3–5.7
30 days
6,347
6.4
6.0–6.8
12,087
7.9
7.6–8.3
18,434
7.3
7.0–7.6
all categories
66,618
2.4
2.3–2.5
97,533
3.6
3.4–3.7
164,151
3.0
2.9–3.1
Vitality days









0 days
6,247
7.1
6.6–7.5
11,536
9.0
8.6–9.4
17,783
8.2
7.9–8.5
1–2 days
1,450
5.9
5.2–6.6
3,118
7.4
6.8–8.0
4,568
6.8
6.4–7.3
3–13 days
8,912
4.2
4.0–4.4
14,809
5.4
5.2–5.6
23,721
4.9
4.7–5.0
14–29 days
28,280
1.7
1.6–1.8
41,496
2.5
2.3–2.6
69,776
2.1
2.0–2.2
30 days
20,990
1.1
0.9–1.2
24,687
1.3
1.2–1.4
45,677
1.2
1.1–1.3
all categories
65,879
2.4
2.3–2.5
95,646
3.6
3.4–3.7
161,525
3.0
2.9–3.1

Note. *Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) questions are: Now thinking about your physical health which includes physical illness and injury, for how many days in the past 30 days was your physical health not good?; Now thinking about your mental health which includes stress, depression, and problems with emotions, for how many days in the past 30 days was your mental health not good?; During the past 30 days, for about how many days did poor physical or mental health keep you from doing your usual activities, such as self-care, work, or recreation?; During the past 30 days, for about how many days did pain make it hard for you to do your usual activities, such as self-care, work, or recreation?; During the past 30 days, for about how many days have you felt worried, tense, or anxious?; During the past 30 days, for about how many days have you felt you did not get enough rest or sleep?; During the past 30 days, for about how many days have you felt very healthy and full of energy? **Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; Selected U.S. states 1995–2000; all variables are age-adjusted. +A calculated measure which results from the sum of physically unhealthy days and mentally unhealthy days with a maximum of 30 unhealthy days for an individual.

Kobau et al. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes 2004 2:40   doi:10.1186/1477-7525-2-40