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Socioeconomic inequalities in health in older women

European Journal of Ageing volume 6, pages 39–47 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Socioeconomic status differentials in health are well documented. Less is known about the socioeconomic variation in health in older people, and in older women in particular. The aim of the study was to examine the association between socioeconomic status and health in older women in relation to two indicators of socioeconomic status and three measures of health, and further, to investigate whether socioeconomic differences in health increase or decrease with advancing age. Data from a cross-sectional population based health survey inviting all women ≥70 years were analysed; 6,380 women aged 70–103 years participated. Logistic regression was applied to analyse variation in health by socioeconomic status. Disadvantaged socioeconomic status (i.e. lower educational levels and previous manual or never been in paid work) was significantly associated with poorer health outcomes, whether measured as self-assessed health or depression. Limiting long-standing illness was significantly associated with never been in paid work. The associations were not attenuated by simultaneous adjustments for health behavioural factors, social support, and marital status. Additional adjustments for medical conditions did only alter the significant association between employment status and limiting long-standing illness. The analyses revealed that educational inequalities did not decrease with advancing age, whereas the results for employment varied across age groups. Our findings suggest an enduring relation between socioeconomic status and health in later life. The study adds to the understanding of the consistent associations between poorer health and social disadvantages at older age. We are not aware of any previous study showing the persistence of social inequalities in health upon adjustments for medical conditions.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by grants from the Norwegian Women’s Public Health Association. The Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (The HUNT Study) is a collaboration between HUNT Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU Verdal), The Norwegian Institute of Public Health, and Nord-Trøndelag County Council.

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Health and General Practice, Faculty of Medicine, MTFS, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NTNU, 7489, Trondheim, Norway

    Berit Rostad & Berit Schei

  2. VU University Medical Centre, LASA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Dorly J. H. Deeg

Authors
  1. Berit Rostad
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  2. Dorly J. H. Deeg
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  3. Berit Schei
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Correspondence to Berit Rostad.

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Rostad, B., Deeg, D.J.H. & Schei, B. Socioeconomic inequalities in health in older women. Eur J Ageing 6, 39–47 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-008-0104-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-008-0104-6

Keywords

  • Socioeconomic factors
  • Morbidity
  • Old age
  • Women