title: Hong Kong men with low incomes have worse health-related quality of life as judged by SF-36 scores.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyse the association between income and health-related quality of life using the Medical Outcome Study Short Form 36 (SF-36) Chinese version in Hong Kong Chinese working population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional observation study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A commercial company in Hong Kong.
  
  
  METHODS
  All clerical and administrative staff of a commercial company was invited to participate; 876 of the 1003 staff agreed. The subjects were categorised into three income groups according to monthly income in Hong Kong dollars (low, < or =10,000; middle, >10,000-25,000; high, >25,000). The mean age of the 288 men and 588 women was 34.9 (standard deviation, 7.9; median, 34.0; range, 18-71) years.
  
  
  METHODS
  SF-36 scores on health-related quality of life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The distribution of income was 30% in high-, 54.8% in middle-, and 15.2% in low-income groups. Women had similar SF-36 scores among different income groups. In men, for most variables there was a significant positive linear correlation between income and SF-36 scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low income is associated with a worse health-related quality of life in Hong Kong Chinese men.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital, Tai Po, Hong Kong. gtc_ko@yahoo.com.hk
authors.forename: G T C
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: H P S
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Wai
authors.forename: P C C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Tsang
authors.forename: H C K
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life