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The social gradient in health: The effect of absolute income and subjective social status assessment on the individual's health in Europe

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  • Theodossiou, I.
  • Zangelidis, A.

Abstract

Using data on individuals aged between 50 and 65 from 6 European countries, this study investigates the effect of absolute income and subjective social status assessment on health in the light of medical evidence indicating that the individual's position in the social hierarchy undermines his/her mental and physical health. The paper shows that individuals' own income has a positive, but modest effect on health. Importantly, subjective social status assessment has a significant effect on all health measurements. Finally, the results show that individuals from deprived families (when at the age of 14) have poorer physical and mental health.

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  • Theodossiou, I. & Zangelidis, A., 2009. "The social gradient in health: The effect of absolute income and subjective social status assessment on the individual's health in Europe," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 7(2), pages 229-237, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ehbiol:v:7:y:2009:i:2:p:229-237
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    2. Paulina Ucieklak-Jeż & Agnieszka Bem, 2020. "Does “Rural” Always Mean the Same? Macrosocial Determinants of Rural Populations’ Health in Poland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-17, January.
    3. Maite Blázquez & Elena Cottini & Ainhoa Herrarte, 2014. "The socioeconomic gradient in health: how important is material deprivation?," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 12(2), pages 239-264, June.
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    5. Maite Blázquez & Santiago Budría, 2018. "The Effects of Over-indebtedness on Individual Health," Hacienda Pública Española / Review of Public Economics, IEF, vol. 227(4), pages 103-131, December.
    6. Fiorillo, Damiano & Sabatini, Fabio, 2015. "Structural social capital and health in Italy," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 17(C), pages 129-142.
    7. Pablo Moya Martínez & Raúl del Pozo Rubio & Pablo Ruiz Palomino, 2024. "The Risk For Mobility Limitation In Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional European Study," Hacienda Pública Española / Review of Public Economics, IEF, vol. 249(2), pages 65-81, June.
    8. Yusuf Çelik & Mahmud Khan & Neşet Hikmet, 2017. "Achieving value for money in health: a comparative analysis of OECD countries and regional countries," International Journal of Health Planning and Management, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(4), pages 279-298, October.
    9. Cristina Blanco-Perez, 2012. "Rethinking the Relative Income Hypothesis," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 501, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    10. Irina Denisova, 2010. "Adult mortality in Russia," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 18(2), pages 333-363, April.
    11. Amélie Adeline & Eric Delattre, 2017. "Some microeconometric evidence on the relationship between health and income," Health Economics Review, Springer, vol. 7(1), pages 1-18, December.
    12. Cuesta, Maite Blázquez & Budría, Santiago, 2015. "Income deprivation and mental well-being: The role of non-cognitive skills," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 17(C), pages 16-28.
    13. Maria Alessandra Antonelli & Giorgia Marini, 2023. "Good health with good institutions. An empirical analysis for italian regions," Public Finance Research Papers 61, Istituto di Economia e Finanza, DSGE, Sapienza University of Rome.
    14. Owen O'Donnell & Eddy Van Doorslaer & Tom Van Ourti, 2013. "Health and Inequality," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 13-170/V, Tinbergen Institute.
    15. Maite Blázquez Cuesta & Santiago Budría, 2013. "Does income deprivation affect people’s mental well-being?," Working Papers 1312, Banco de España.

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