The measurement of socio-economic status: Investigation of gender-and age-specific indicators in Australia: National Health Survey 1995

Citation
Gd. Mishra et al., The measurement of socio-economic status: Investigation of gender-and age-specific indicators in Australia: National Health Survey 1995, SOCIAL IND, 56(1), 2001, pp. 73-89
Citations number
41
Categorie Soggetti
Sociology & Antropology
Journal title
SOCIAL INDICATORS RESEARCH
ISSN journal
03038300 → ACNP
Volume
56
Issue
1
Year of publication
2001
Pages
73 - 89
Database
ISI
SICI code
0303-8300(2001)56:1<73:TMOSSI>2.0.ZU;2-V
Abstract
Objective: To investigate the correlations between age- and gender-specific measures of socio-economic status versus health status as measured by the SF-36. Design: Population based study. Participants: 38187 people aged between 18 to 79 years who participated in the National Health Survey in 1995. Results: Factor analysis produced consistent results that were interpreted in terms of five conceptually meaningful domains (employment, housing, migr ation, family unit and education). The relative rank of the factors differs between groups and in some cases factor composition requires items to be a dded or deleted from the conceptual domains. Conclusions: Age- and gender-specific SES scores based on these factors had stronger associations with the physical and mental components of SF-36 tha n either an area based index or scores derived from males aged 40-44 years. Overall the results supported the hypothesis that SES measures composed of social and demographic items exhibit important age- and gender-specific di fferences which are relevant for health.