Economic status over the life course and racial disparities in health.
OBJECTIVE
Racial and socioeconomic disparities in health have become a prominent feature of American society, though our understanding of the processes leading to such persistent disparities is still relatively limited. In this study, we focus on the impact of social and economic advantages and disadvantages over the life course on health disparities at older ages. In particular, we look at the roles of both cumulative and current financial resources and financial strains as determinants of a range of subjective and objective health assessments of physical conditions, functional impairment, and mental health.


METHODS
Our data come from the 2001 Aging, Stress, and Health Study, which interviewed over 1,100 White and African American adults aged 65 years and older living in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results show that although racial and socioeconomic disparities in health do not follow a simple explanation, we do provide strong support for the fundamental importance of social and economic resources. Unlike previous studies that emphasize the role of financial resources such as income and wealth, we show that the lack of these resources, as indicated by high levels of financial strain, provides an important clue to how economic resources influence health.
Kahn
Joan R
JR
Department of Sociology, Maryland Population Research Center, University of Maryland, College Park, 20742, USA. jkahn@umd.edu
Fazio
Elena M
EM
D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D004219:District of Columbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D016018:Least-Squares Analysis; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008396:Maryland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012923:Social Class; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data