Material resources and population health: disadvantages in health care, housing, and food among adults over 50 years of age.

TitleMaterial resources and population health: disadvantages in health care, housing, and food among adults over 50 years of age.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2009
AuthorsAlley, DE, Soldo, BJ, Pagán, JA, McCabe, J, deBlois, M, Field, SH, Asch, DA, Cannuscio, C
JournalAm J Public Health
Volume99 Suppl 3
IssueSuppl 3
PaginationS693-701
Date Published2009 Nov
ISSN Number1541-0048
KeywordsAged, Female, Food Supply, Health Status Disparities, Health Surveys, Healthcare Disparities, Housing, Humans, Logistic Models, Male, Middle Aged, Poverty, United States
Abstract

OBJECTIVES: We examined associations between material resources and late-life declines in health.

METHODS: We used logistic regression to estimate the odds of declines in self-rated health and incident walking limitations associated with material disadvantages in a prospective panel representative of US adults aged 51 years and older (N = 15,441).

RESULTS: Disadvantages in health care (odds ratio [OR] = 1.39; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.23, 1.58), food (OR = 1.69; 95% CI = 1.29, 2.22), and housing (OR = 1.20; 95% CI = 1.07, 1.35) were independently associated with declines in self-rated health, whereas only health care (OR = 1.43; 95% CI = 1.29, 1.58) and food (OR = 1.64; 95% CI = 1.31, 2.05) disadvantage predicted incident walking limitations. Participants experiencing multiple material disadvantages were particularly susceptible to worsening health and functional decline. These effects were sustained after we controlled for numerous covariates, including baseline health status and comorbidities. The relations between health declines and non-Hispanic Black race/ethnicity, poverty, marital status, and education were attenuated or eliminated after we controlled for material disadvantage.

CONCLUSIONS: Material disadvantages, which are highly policy relevant, appear related to health in ways not captured by education and poverty. Policies to improve health should address a range of basic human needs, rather than health care alone.

DOI10.2105/AJPH.2009.161877
User Guide Notes

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19890175?dopt=Abstract

Alternate JournalAm J Public Health
Citation Key7414
PubMed ID19890175
PubMed Central IDPMC2774171
Grant ListR24HS017003 / HS / AHRQ HHS / United States
1H75DP001812-01 / DP / NCCDPHP CDC HHS / United States
H75 DP001812 / DP / NCCDPHP CDC HHS / United States
R01 AG023370 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
R01 AG023370-04 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
P30 AG012836 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
R24 HS017003 / HS / AHRQ HHS / United States
P30 AG012836-16 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States