The effects of socioeconomic status on participation in care among middle-aged and older adults.
OBJECTIVE
This study assesses the effects of socioeconomic status (education and poverty) on seeking health information and subsequent use of this information during the medical encounter.


METHODS
Data on 19,944 adults (aged 45 and older) were drawn from the 2000-2001 Household Component of the Community Tracking Study, a nationally representative survey of non-institutionalized individuals.


RESULTS
Higher levels of education were associated with a greater likelihood of seeking health information and mentioning information to physicians. The poor and near poor were less likely to seek health information, but only the near poor were significantly less likely to mention information to the physician.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings underscore the importance of education in the acquisition and use of health information among middle-aged and older adults.
Wiltshire
Jacqueline C
JC
Florida A & M University, Tallahassee, USA.
Roberts
Velma
V
Brown
Roger
R
Sarto
Gloria E
GE
D022126:Access to Information; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003142:Communication; D004522:Educational Status; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010358:Patient Participation; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011203:Poverty; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States