title: Poverty and health-related quality of life of people living in Hong Kong: comparison of individuals from low-income families and the general population.
abstract: To assess health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among Chinese adults from low-income households in Hong Kong, and to explore any threshold of household income that impaired HRQOL.
  
  
  
  A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 298 adults from low-income families when they enrolled into a cohort study between 2012 and 2014. HRQOL was measured by the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey-version 2 (SF-12v2). Their mean SF-12v2 subscale and summary scores were compared with those of 596 age-sex-matched subjects randomly selected from a database of 2763 adults from the Hong Kong general population (ratio = 1:2). Multiple linear regressions were conducted to determine any association between monthly household income and HRQOL.
  
  
  
  Subjects from low-income households had significantly lower SF-12v2 bodily pain, general health, vitality and physical component summary (PCS) scores than the age-sex matched subjects from the general population. Subgroup analysis showed that a household income <50% of the median monthly household income in Hong Kong (HK$10 000 ≈ US$1290, i.e. poverty line in Hong Kong) was independently associated with poorer PCS and mental component summary (MCS) scores after adjustment for socio-demographics and co-morbidities.
  
  
  
  Chinese adults from low-income households had poorer HRQOL, and <50% of the median monthly household income seems to be the threshold for impairment of both physical and mental HRQOL. The findings support the current definition of the poverty line.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, The University of Hong Kong, 3F, Ap Lei Chau Clinic, 161 Main Street, Ap Lei Chau, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Cindy Lo Kuen
authors.initials: CLK
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, The University of Hong Kong, 3F, Ap Lei Chau Clinic, 161 Main Street, Ap Lei Chau, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Vivian Yawei
authors.initials: VY
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, The University of Hong Kong, 3F, Ap Lei Chau Clinic, 161 Main Street, Ap Lei Chau, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Carlos King Ho
authors.initials: CKH
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, The University of Hong Kong, 3F, Ap Lei Chau Clinic, 161 Main Street, Ap Lei Chau, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Esther Yee Tak
authors.initials: EYT
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, The University of Hong Kong, 3F, Ap Lei Chau Clinic, 161 Main Street, Ap Lei Chau, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Colman Siu Cheung
authors.initials: CSC
authors.lastname: Fung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011634:Public Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: adults; public health; socio-economics factors