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Duration and Accumulation of Disadvantages in Old Age

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  • Josephine Heap
  • Stefan Fors

Abstract

The probability of experiencing simultaneous disadvantages in more than one life domain seems to be higher for the oldest old people than younger age groups. However, the experience of coexisting disadvantages among older adults is relatively underexplored. We set out to analyse whether coexisting disadvantages among older people are long-lasting or temporary, and whether there are patterns of an accumulation of disadvantages in old age or not. We used nationally representative, longitudinal data between 1991 and 2011. Respondents were born between 1916 and 1934. The following disadvantages were included: lack of social resources, lack of political resources, lack of financial resources, psychological health problems, physical health problems and mobility limitations. Results suggest differing experiences of disadvantage in old age. We found that reporting coexisting disadvantages in 1991 increased the probability of reporting coexisting disadvantages in 2011, but the correlation was moderate. This indicates that for some people, coexisting disadvantages in old age is relatively stable, while for others it is a temporary experience. Reporting one disadvantage in 1991 also increased the probability of reporting coexisting disadvantages in 2011, suggesting a pattern of accumulation of disadvantages. Again, this pattern may not be generalised to all people. To a large extent the observed accumulation of disadvantages in old age seemed to be driven by physical health deterioration and mobility limitations. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015

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  • Josephine Heap & Stefan Fors, 2015. "Duration and Accumulation of Disadvantages in Old Age," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 123(2), pages 411-429, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:123:y:2015:i:2:p:411-429
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-014-0744-1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Dale Dannefer, 2003. "Cumulative Advantage/Disadvantage and the Life Course: Cross-Fertilizing Age and Social Science Theory," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 58(6), pages 327-337.
    2. Ruud Muffels & Didier Fouarge, 2004. "The Role of European Welfare States in Explaining Resources Deprivation," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 68(3), pages 299-330, September.
    3. Grundy, Emily & Sloggett, Andy, 2003. "Health inequalities in the older population: the role of personal capital, social resources and socio-economic circumstances," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 56(5), pages 935-947, March.
    4. Whelan, Christopher T. & Maitre, Bertrand, 2008. "The Life Cycle Perspective on Social Inclusion in Ireland: An Analysis of EU-SILC," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number RS3.
    5. Björn Halleröd & Miia Bask, 2008. "Accumulation of Welfare Problems in a Longitudinal Perspective," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 88(2), pages 311-327, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ylva B. Almquist & Lars Brännström, 2018. "Childhood Adversity and Trajectories of Disadvantage Through Adulthood: Findings from the Stockholm Birth Cohort Study," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 136(1), pages 225-245, February.
    2. Sofie Van Regenmortel & Liesbeth De Donder & An-Sofie Smetcoren & Deborah Lambotte & Nico De Witte & Dominique Verté, 2018. "Accumulation of Disadvantages: Prevalence and Categories of Old-Age Social Exclusion in Belgium," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 140(3), pages 1173-1194, December.

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