Cookies?
Library Header Image
LSE Research Online LSE Library Services

Health disadvantage in US adults aged 50 to 74 years: a comparison of the health of rich and poor Americans with that of Europeans

Avendano, Mauricio, Glymour, M. Maria, Banks, James and Mackenbach, Johann P. (2008) Health disadvantage in US adults aged 50 to 74 years: a comparison of the health of rich and poor Americans with that of Europeans. American Journal of Public Health, 99 (3). pp. 540-548. ISSN 0090-0036

Full text not available from this repository.
Identification Number: 10.2105/AJPH.2008.139469

Abstract

Objectives We compared the health of older US, English, and other European adults, stratified by wealth. Methods Representative samples of adults aged 50 to 74 years were interviewed in 2004 in 10 European countries (n = 17 481), England (n = 6527), and the United States (n = 9940). We calculated prevalence rates of 6 chronic diseases and functional limitations. Results American adults reported worse health than did English or European adults. Eighteen percent of Americans reported heart disease, compared with 12% of English and 11% of Europeans. At all wealth levels, Americans were less healthy than were Europeans, but differences were more marked among the poor. Health disparities by wealth were significantly smaller in Europe than in the United States and England. Odds ratios of heart disease in a comparison of the top and bottom wealth tertiles were 1.94 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.69, 2.24) in the United States, 2.13 (95% CI = 1.73, 2.62) in England, and 1.38 (95% CI = 1.23, 1.56) in Europe. Smoking, obesity, physical activity levels, and alcohol consumption explained a fraction of health variations. Conclusions American adults are less healthy than Europeans at all wealth levels. The poorest Americans experience the greatest disadvantage relative to Europeans.

Item Type: Article
Official URL: http://ajph.aphapublications.org/
Additional Information: © 2011 American Public Health Association
Divisions: Social Policy
LSE Health
Lifecourse, Ageing & Population Health
Subjects: R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine
Date Deposited: 15 Jun 2011 13:36
Last Modified: 09 Feb 2024 07:57
URI: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/36712

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item