Rising U.S. income inequality, gender and individual self-rated health, 1972-2004.
The effect of income inequality on health has been a contested topic among social scientists. Most previous research is based on cross-sectional comparisons rather than temporal comparisons. Using data from the General Social Survey and the U.S. Census Bureau, this study examines how rising income inequality affects individual self-rated health in the U.S. from 1972 to 2004. Data are analyzed using hierarchical generalized linear models. The findings suggest a significant association between income inequality and individual self-rated health. The dramatic increase in income inequality from 1972 to 2004 increases the odds of worse self-rated health by 9.4 percent. These findings hold for three measures of income inequality: the Gini coefficient, the Atkinson Index, and the Theil entropy index. Results also suggest that overall income inequality and gender-specific income inequality harm men's, but not women's, self-rated health. These findings also hold for the three measures of income inequality. These findings suggest that inattention to gender composition may explain apparent discrepancies across previous studies.
Zheng
Hui
H
Department of Sociology, Duke University, United States. huizheng@soc.duke.edu
D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States