Socioeconomic Disadvantages and Old Age

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Socioeconomic Disadvantages and Old Age

A growing body of evidence suggests that socioeconomic factors in mortality persist into old age. This study examined the relationship of the employment grade in middle-aged men to self-reported poor health and functional limitations in old age. This study also examined whether socioeconomic status at the time of retirement modifies health differentials in old age.

To study these effects, survivors of the Whitehall Study, which began in the late 1960's, were resurveyed. Respondents were between 70 and 100 years of age. Self reported outcome measures included: health, mental health, physical performance and disability. Results showed that compared with high-grade employees (e.g., senior managers, administrators, etc.), men in low-grade jobs (e.g., clerical staff, security officers,etc.) had four times the odds of poor physical performance in old age, three times the odds of poor general health, and two times the odds of poor mental health and disability. Men who moved from low to middle-grade jobs (e.g., statisticians, scientists, etc.) before retirement were less likely than those who had remained in their positions to have poor mental health.
Conclusion: Socioeconomic status in men at middle age and at approximately retirement age is associated with morbidity in old age.
Breeze E, Fletcher AE, Leon DA, et al. Do socioeconomic disadvantages persist into old age? Self-reported morbidity in a 29-year follow-up of the Whitehall study. American Journal of Public Health 2001: 91(2), pp 277-283.