Wealth drives health in old age: Study
POSTED May 8, 2009 - 15:40 | POSTED BY Jyoti Pal
Last edited by Harpreet Bhagrath on May 8, 2009 - 16:40
Conversely, poorer and not-so-well-educated people are more likely to develop serious illness and die earlier than their deep-pocketed and well-qualified counterparts, the study revealed.
Study details
The study, conducted by the Economic and Social Research Council, UK's largest organization for funding research on social and economic issues, is based on a series of surveys enrolling over 12,000 older people.
Wealth, education and high social stature are the keys to longer and healthier life, study’s lead researcher, Professor James Nazroo from the Department of Sociology at the University of Manchester, established.
Also, although the impact of deprivation of wealth, education or high social stature persisted into the oldest ages, it was at its maximum for those aged in their 50s and 60s, researchers highlighted.
People from lower socio-economic groups were more likely to die earlier than their wealthier counterparts. Also, such people were more likely to suffer from depression and chronic ailments like high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity.
Moreover, while voluntary early retirement was considered good, it worked negatively for those forced to go early. Such people are likely to have poorer mental health, study claimed.
Fortunately, older people who participate in non-work activities and did charity were mentally and physically healthier than others, researchers asserted.
Macro level implications
Researchers also emphasized that with crunching economy, eroding pensions and growing demands of taxation, “these findings will have implications for us all”.
“Increase in life expectancy raise major challenges for public policy. Among these is the need to respond to marked inequalities in economic position and life expectancy at older ages,” Nazroo said.
“In addition, despite the fact that we are all living longer, many people now stop work before the statutory retirement age and a large proportion of these still have the potential to provide a positive input into society, the economy and their own well-being.
“Our findings will help us understand how society can help people realize this potential," he added.
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