The Relationship Between Financial Distress and Life-Course Socioeconomic Inequalities in Well-Being: Cross-National Analysis of European Welfare States.
OBJECTIVE
We investigated to what extent current financial distress explains the relationship between life-course socioeconomic position and well-being in Southern, Scandinavian, Postcommunist, and Bismarckian welfare regimes.


METHODS
We analyzed individuals (n = 18 324) aged 50 to 75 years in the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe, 2006-2009. Well-being was measured with CASP-12 (which stands for control, autonomy, self-realization, and pleasure) and life satisfaction. We generated a life-course socioeconomic index from 8 variables and calculated multilevel regression models (containing individuals nested within 13 countries), as well as stratified single-level models by welfare regime.


RESULTS
Life-course socioeconomic advantage was related to higher well-being; the difference in life satisfaction between the most and least advantaged was 2.09 (95% confidence interval = 1.87, 2.31) among women and 1.65 (95% confidence interval = 1.43, 1.87) among men. The weakest associations were found among Scandinavian countries. Financial distress was associated with lower well-being and attenuated the relationship between life-course socioeconomic position and well-being in all regimes (ranging from 34.26% in Postcommunist to 72.22% in Scandinavian countries).


CONCLUSIONS
We found narrower inequalities in well-being in the Scandinavian regime. Reducing financial distress may help improve well-being and reduce inequalities.
Claire L. Niedzwiedz is with Centre for Research on Environment, Society, and Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland. Jill P. Pell is with Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland. Richard Mitchell is with Centre for Research on Environment, Society, and Health, Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow.
Claire L
CL
Niedzwiedz
Claire L. Niedzwiedz is with Centre for Research on Environment, Society, and Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland. Jill P. Pell is with Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland. Richard Mitchell is with Centre for Research on Environment, Society, and Health, Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow.
Jill P
JP
Pell
Claire L. Niedzwiedz is with Centre for Research on Environment, Society, and Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland. Jill P. Pell is with Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland. Richard Mitchell is with Centre for Research on Environment, Society, and Health, Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow.
Richard
R
Mitchell
D000368:Aged; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012923:Social Class; D012946:Social Welfare