Where wealth matters more for health: The wealth–health gradient in 16 countries

Semyonov, Moshe; Lewin‐Epstein, Noah; Maskileyson, Dina

doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2013.01.010

Cited by 109 publications

(103 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…A few previous studies have suggested that income inequality might exacerbate health inequalities Semyonov et al, 2013;Wilkinson and Pickett, 2008). Beckfield et al (2013) suggest a 'fundamental cause' (Phelan et al, 2010) explanation for this hypothesized relationship.…”

Section: H2mentioning

confidence: 95%

“…In line with the notion of 'A rising tide lifts all boats,' greater wealth in a country might decrease the strength of the subjective SES-health relationship. Semyonov et al (2013) also suggest that the availability of resources in a country could reduce the relationship between SES and health, as individual command over resources becomes less important. The same could be true for the subjective SES-health relationship, as status competition might be less crucial as long as basic needs are met.…”

Section: Country Affluence Income Inequality and The Subjective Sesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Also, given that income can serve as a buffer for the stress individuals face in their lives, low-income individuals in less egalitarian societies should be more stressed and, thus, less healthy, exacerbating the health gradient in less egalitarian countries. Semyonov et al (2013) point to the neo-materialist pathway (Lynch et al, 2000) that is suggested to connect income inequality and average population health. According to this pathway, societies with a high degree of income inequality are also characterized by a country's systematic underinvestment across a wide range of human, physical, and social infrastructures.…”

Section: H2mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Semyonov et al (2013) report that any exacerbating effect of income inequality on the relationship between household wealth and health in their sample of countries is solely driven by the US. For the other, mostly Western European countries in their sample, they do not find any relationship between income inequality and health.…”

Section: H2mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Subjective socioeconomic status and health in cross-national comparison

Präg

Mills

Wittek

2016

Social Science & Medicine

158

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Research has established a robust association between subjective socioeconomic status (SES) and health outcomes, which holds over and above the associations between objective markers of SES and health. Furthermore, comparative research on health inequalities has shown considerable variation in the relationship between different objective markers of SES and health across countries. Drawing on data from 29 countries, we present the first crossnational study on the subjective SES-health relationship. For two health outcomes, namely self-rated health (SRH) and psychological wellbeing, we are able to confirm that subjective SES is related to health in all countries under study, even when income, education, and occupational prestige are accounted

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Section: H2mentioning

confidence: 95%

Section: Country Affluence Income Inequality and The Subjective Sesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: H2mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: H2mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Subjective socioeconomic status and health in cross-national comparison

Präg

Mills

Wittek

2016

Social Science & Medicine

158

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…As research conducted in different countries imply, inequality in income levels does not directly affect the deterioration of the health of the population, but contribute to the formation of structural inequalities in access to goods and services. It adversely affects the health of the population through social discrimination, dominant hierarchical structures, inadequate financing of social infrastructure, and the creation of specific risk factors [11,13,14,15]. Risk factors include behavioural factors (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Health inequalities among rural and urban population of Eastern Poland in the context of sustainable development

Pantyley

2017

Ann Agric Environ Med.

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The primary goals of the study were a critical analysis of the concepts associated with health from the perspective of sustainable development, and empirical analysis of health and health-related issues among the rural and urban residents of Eastern Poland in the context of the sustainable development of the region. The study was based on the following research methods: a systemic approach, selection and analysis of the literature and statistical data, developing a special questionnaire concerning socio-economic and health inequalities among the population in the studied area, field research with an interview questionnaire conducted on randomly-selected respondents (N=1,103) in randomly selected areas of the Lubelskie, Podkarpackie, Podlaskie and eastern part of Mazowieckie Provinces (with the division between provincial capital cities -county capital cities -other cities -rural areas). The results of statistical surveys in the studied area with the use of chi-square test and contingence quotients indicated a correlation between the state of health and the following independent variables: age, life quality, social position and financial situation (C-Pearson's coefficient over 0,300); a statistically significant yet weak correlation was recorded for gender, household size, place of residence and amount of free time. The conducted analysis proved the existence of a huge gap between state of health of the population in urban and rural areas. In order to eliminate unfavourable differences in the state iof health among the residents of Eastern Poland, and provide equal sustainable development in urban and rural areas of the examined areas, special preventive programmes aimed at the residents of peripheral, marginalized rural areas should be implemented. In these programmes, attention should be paid to preventive measures, early diagnosis of basic civilization and social diseases, and better accessibility to medical services for the residents.

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Wealth Redistribution to Extend Longevity in the US

Himmelstein,

Tsai,

Venkataramani

2024

JAMA Intern Med

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ImportanceThe US is unique among wealthy countries in its degree of wealth inequality and its poor health outcomes. Wealth is known to be positively associated with longevity, but little is known about whether wealth redistribution might extend longevity.ObjectiveTo examine the association between wealth and longevity and estimate the changes in longevity that could occur with simulated wealth distributions that were perfectly equal, similar to that observed in Japan (among the most equitable of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD] countries), generated by minimum inheritance proposals, and produced by baby bonds proposals.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis longitudinal cohort study analyzed the association between wealth and survival among participants in the Health and Retirement Study (1992-2018), a nationally representative panel study of middle-aged and older (≥50 years) community-dwelling, noninstitutionalized US adults. The data analysis was performed between November 15, 2022, and September 24, 2023.ExposureHousehold wealth on study entry, calculated as the sum of all assets minus the value of debts and classified into deciles.Main Outcomes and MeasuresWeibull survival models were used to estimate the association between per-person wealth decile and survival, adjusting for age, sex, marital status, household size, and race and ethnicity. Changes in longevity that might occur under alternative wealth distributions were then estimated.ResultsThe sample included 35 164 participants (mean [SE] age at study entry, 59.1 [0.1] years; 50.1% female and 49.9% male [weighted]). The hazard of death generally decreased with increasing wealth, wherein participants in the highest wealth decile had a hazard ratio of 0.59 for death (95% CI, 0.53-0.66) compared with those in the lowest decile, corresponding to a 13.5-year difference in survival. A simulated wealth distribution of perfect equality would increase populationwide median longevity by 2.2 years (95% CI, 2.2-2.3 years), fully closing the mortality gap between the US and the OECD average. A simulated minimum inheritance proposal would increase populationwide median longevity by 1.7 years; a simulated wealth distribution similar to Japan’s would increase populationwide median longevity by 1.2 years; and a simulated baby bonds proposal would increase populationwide median longevity by 1.0 year.Conclusions and RelevanceThese findings suggest that wealth inequality in the US is associated with significant inequities in survival. Wealth redistribution policies may substantially reduce those inequities and increase population longevity.

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Where wealth matters more for health: The wealth–health gradient in 16 countries

Cited by 109 publications

References 37 publications

Subjective socioeconomic status and health in cross-national comparison

Subjective socioeconomic status and health in cross-national comparison

Health inequalities among rural and urban population of Eastern Poland in the context of sustainable development

Wealth Redistribution to Extend Longevity in the US

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