Are Individuals Living in More Equal Counties Healthier than Individuals Living in More Unequal Counties?

• In Event: 590 - Regular Session. Health and Well-Being

Abstract

Using a propensity score matching technique, we examined the contextual effect of income inequality on health. After removing those who newly/recently moved into the area (<5 years), we further assessed which SES group showed an association between income inequality and health.
Bivariate analysis results from the unmatched sample show that adults living in high income-inequality counties have poorer health in all health measures (SRH, ADL, IADL, blood pressure, CESD, stroke, diabetes, psychiatric problem) except for heart problem. After propensity score matching, only the adverse association with self-rated health status (SRH) remained statistically significant at the 5% level. Psychiatric problems were also significantly more prevalent for adults living in high income-inequality counties when we compare adults who lived in the area at least 15 years. The significant association with poorer SRHS is likely to be observed between 40th and 80th wealth percentiles, between 40th and 90th income percentiles, and among individuals without college education.
The question of whether income inequality has a causal effect on health has been argued for several decades. Our findings suggest adverse effect of income inequality may exist in terms of self-rated general health status and psychiatric problem for middle- and high- economic groups (except for very high).

Authors

• HwaJung Choi, University of Michigan

• Irma T. Elo, University of Pennsylvania

• Michele Heisler, University of Michigan