 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Roland Sturm, PhD, RAND, 1700 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401, 310 393-0411 X6164, roland_sturm@rand.org
Recent policy debates have focused on income inequality as a major risk factor for poor health, based on evidence on self-reported overall health. Surprisingly, there seems to be no data on the prevalence of chronic medical conditions and specific mental health disorders in relation to inequality. Using new national data, this presentation shows results on the relation between geographical inequalities in income and the prevalence of common chronic medical conditions and mental health disorders, and compare it with the relation between family income and these health problems.Although there is a strong social gradient in health by income or education, it bears no relationship to income inequality. Only self-reported overall health, the measure used in prior studies, is significantly correlated with inequality at the population level, but not after adjusting for individual characteristics. While there is little evidence for the hypothesis that the size of the income inequality is a major risk factor for common disorders of physical or mental health, the association between income and health is more complex than simple material deprivation. The effects of family income or education are not confined to differences between the lowest income and other groups, but show a gradient that only flattens well above the median income level.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Poverty, Social Inequalities
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.