Disparate effects of socioeconomic status on physical function and emotional well-being in older adults

We tested the hypothesis that among community living older adults with rela tively low and high socioeconomic status (SES), low SES is associated with both poorer emotional well-being and physical function. Ambulatory, communi ty living older men and women (70-89 years of age) were recruited from outp atient geriatric assessment clinics in relatively high socioeconomic areas of greater Boston (High SES, N=47), and from an urban senior center in the inner city (Low SES, N=66). We assessed health status, mental health, upper and lower extremity strength and physical function. We found that health s tatus was not significantly different in the two groups. Quadriceps strengt h (Low SES: 199 +/- 57 N High SES: 190 +/- 56 N; p=0.531) and Up and Go tim es (Low SES: 14.3 +/-3. 1 sec; High SES: 16.7 +/-9.5 sec; p=0.068) were not significantly different in the two groups, while grip strength was slightl y higher in the Low SES group (Low SES: 22.8 +/-6.45 kg; High SES: 20.07 +/ -7.55 kg; p=0.049). In contrast, subjects with Low SES tended to have an in creased tendency towards depression. Scores on the Geriatric Depression Sca le were 3.8 +/-3.0 in Low SES, and 1.8 +/-2.8 in High SES (p<0.001). We con clude that while health status and physical Junction were not worse in subj ects with low SES, emotional well-being was markedly less compared to senio rs with high SES. SES may have disparate effects on physical function and m ental health, perhaps due to different compensatory mechanisms.