TY - JOUR
T1 - Variation in health inequalities according to measures of socioeconomic status and age
AU - Mather, Tanya
AU - Banks, Emily
AU - Joshy, Grace
AU - Bauman, Adrian
AU - Phongsavan, Philayrath
AU - Korda, Rosemary J.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2014 Public Health Association of Australia.
PY - 2014/10/1
Y1 - 2014/10/1
N2 - Objective: To examine variation in the magnitude of socioeconomic inequalities in health and age-related variations in inequalities, according to the socioeconomic status (SES) measure used.Methods: Cross-sectional study involving 205,709 participants in the 45 and Up Study. We used the Relative Index of Inequality (RII) to quantify health inequalities in relation to income, education and Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA). The outcomes used were heart disease and self-rated health. Analyses were stratified by age (45-64, 65-79, ≥80 years).Results: RIIs were largest for income and smallest for SEIFA; they were generally largest in the youngest age group and smallest in the oldest group. Age-related differences in RIIs were particularly marked for income (e.g. for fair/poor health, RII=11.81, 95%CI 11.14-12.53 in the 45-64 age group and RII=2.42, 95%CI 2.10-2.78 in ≥80 group), and less marked for SEIFA (e.g. respectively, RII=2.68, 95%CI 2.53-2.84 and RII=1.32, 95%CI 1.22-1.44).Conclusions: The magnitude of socioeconomic inequality in health varies substantially according to the type of SES measure used and age. Income is the most sensitive measure. Implications: Researchers and policy makers should be aware of the extent to which SEIFA-based estimates underestimate the magnitude of health inequality compared to individual-level measures, especially in younger age groups.
AB - Objective: To examine variation in the magnitude of socioeconomic inequalities in health and age-related variations in inequalities, according to the socioeconomic status (SES) measure used.Methods: Cross-sectional study involving 205,709 participants in the 45 and Up Study. We used the Relative Index of Inequality (RII) to quantify health inequalities in relation to income, education and Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA). The outcomes used were heart disease and self-rated health. Analyses were stratified by age (45-64, 65-79, ≥80 years).Results: RIIs were largest for income and smallest for SEIFA; they were generally largest in the youngest age group and smallest in the oldest group. Age-related differences in RIIs were particularly marked for income (e.g. for fair/poor health, RII=11.81, 95%CI 11.14-12.53 in the 45-64 age group and RII=2.42, 95%CI 2.10-2.78 in ≥80 group), and less marked for SEIFA (e.g. respectively, RII=2.68, 95%CI 2.53-2.84 and RII=1.32, 95%CI 1.22-1.44).Conclusions: The magnitude of socioeconomic inequality in health varies substantially according to the type of SES measure used and age. Income is the most sensitive measure. Implications: Researchers and policy makers should be aware of the extent to which SEIFA-based estimates underestimate the magnitude of health inequality compared to individual-level measures, especially in younger age groups.
KW - SEIFA
KW - health inequalities
KW - socioeconomic status
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84908076623&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/1753-6405.12239
DO - 10.1111/1753-6405.12239
M3 - Article
SN - 1326-0200
VL - 38
SP - 436
EP - 440
JO - Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health
JF - Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health
IS - 5
ER -