通過分析2005年和2008年中國老年人口健康狀況調查的資料,本研究考察了社會經濟地位和死亡,以及兩個自報的健康指標(自評健康、日常生活活動功能)之間的關係。我們的研究有三個重要的發現:(1)儘管社會經濟地位與不同健康指標的關係強度有所不同,但整體而言,老年人的社會經濟地位和健康之間存在很強的正相關;(2)相比預防性程度低的疾病(癌症)導致的死亡,社會經濟地位與預防性程度高的疾病(循環系統疾病、呼吸道疾病)導致的死亡有更強的負相關;(3)相比社會關係、健康行為,醫療服務的獲得更多地解釋了社會經濟地位與健康之間的相關。總體來說,研究結果支持了根本原因理論。
This study examines the association of socioeconomic status (SES) with mortality and two self-reported measures of health (self-rated health and functional status), using data from the most recent two waves (2005 and 2008) of Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity survey. Our study yields three significant findings. First, while the results vary by measures used, we find overall strong evidence for a positive association between SES and health. Second, SES is more strongly inversely related to mortality from more preventable causes (i.e., circulatory disease and respiratory disease), than from less preventable causes (i.e., cancer). Third, access to medical care is of greater importance in explaining the association between SES and health, relative to social relations and health behaviors. Overall, the results provide support for the fundamental cause theory.