THE DYNAMIC RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ECONOMIC INDICATORS AND PHYSICAL HEALTH MEASURES AMONG WORKING-AGE ADULTS IN THE UNITED STATES
Author(s)
Meraya AM1, Dwibedi N1, Tan X2, Innes K3, Mitra S4, Sambamoorthi U1
1West Virginia University, School of Pharmacy, Morgantown, WV, USA, 2West Virginia University,School of Pharmacy, Morgantown, WV, USA, 3West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA, 4Fordham University, Bronx, NY, USA
OBJECTIVES: To examine the dynamic relationships between various measures of economic status and physical health using a sample of working-age adults (18-64 years) in the US. The study examined the effect of positive and negative changes in economic status on health, and improvement and decline in health on economic status. METHODS: The study utilized a retrospective observational longitudinal design with repeated measures of economic indicators and health for a period of 14 years using 8 waves of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics: 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, and 2013. Health measures were self-rated health (SRH) and functional limitations; economic indicators were family income, labor income and net wealth. Four approaches of panel models:1) System-Generalized Method of Moment (system-GMM); 2) first-difference; 3) first-difference with instrumental variables (IV); 4) Lagged fixed effects; and two standard models: 1) ordinary least squares regression (OLS) and 2) IV OLS were used to evaluate the dynamic relationships between economic indicators and health measures. RESULTS: Standard models revealed significant positive relationships between all economic indicators and SRH and negative relationships between all economic indicators and functional limitations. System-GMM estimators revealed that SRH was positively associated with family income (ß=0.871, p <0.05), labor income (ß=0.868 p < 0.001) and net wealth (ß=0.317, p < 0.001). Nevertheless, only labor income (ß=-0.515, p < 0.001) and net wealth (ß=-0.142, p < 0.05) were negatively associated with functional limitations. SRH declined due to losses in family income; decreases in SRH resulted in losses in family income, labor income and net wealth. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest the need for integrating the economic and health policies and programs to prevent the adverse effects on health whenever an individual experiences either a decline in economic status or decline in health.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2017-05, ISPOR 2017, Boston, MA, USA
Value in Health, Vol. 20, No. 5 (May 2017)
Code
PHP63
Topic
Epidemiology & Public Health, Health Policy & Regulatory
Topic Subcategory
Health Disparities & Equity, Public Health
Disease
Multiple Diseases