The elderly, and especially the oldest old, have generally been overlooked in research on social class inequalities in health. On the basis of nationally representative data from Sweden for the age group 77 to 98 (N= 537), we have been able to demonstrate clear differences in health between social classes. These inequalities were found both for men and women. It should be noticed, however, that the patterns of class differences varied depending on the health indicator used. The often employed global measure of self-rated health showed the smallest class gradient when controlling for age and sex, whereas larger differences were found with more concrete and descriptive measures such as peak flow rate.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Arber, S. , & Ginn, J. (1991). Gender and later life: A sociological analysis of resources and constraints. London: Sage.
2.
Carp, F. M. (1989). Maximizing data quality in community studies of older people. In M. P. Lawton & A. R. Herzog (Eds.), Special research methods for gerontology. Amityville, NY: Baywood.
3.
Carsjo, K. , Thorslund, M., & Warneryd, B. (in press). The validity of survey data on utilization of health and social services among the very old. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences.
4.
Cook, N. R. , Evans, D. A., Scherr, P. A., Speizer, F. E., Taylor, J. O., & Henneken, C. H. (1991). Peak expiratory flow rate and 5-year mortality in an elderly population. American Journal of Epidemiology, 133, 784-794.
5.
Cook, N. R. , Evans, D. A., Scherr, P. A., Speizer, F. E., Taylor, J. O., Vedal, S., Branch, L. G., Huntley, J. C., & Henneken, C. H. (1989). Peak expiratory flow rate in an elderly population. American Journal of Epidemiology, 130, 66-78.
6.
Erikson, R. (1984). Social class of men, women and families. Sociology, 18, 500-514.
7.
Erikson, R. , & Aberg, R. (1987). Welfare in transition: A survey of living conditions in Sweden 1968-1981. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
8.
Erikson, R. , & Goldthorpe, J. H. (1 992a). The constant flux: A study of class mobility in industrial societies. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
9.
Erikson, R. , & Goldthorpe, J. H. (1992b). The Casmin Project and the American dream. European Sociological Review, 8, 283-305.
10.
Fox, A. J. , Goldblatt, P. O., & Jones, D. R. (1986). Social class mortality differentials: Artifact, selection, or life circumstances? In R. Wilkinson (Ed.), Class and health: Research and longitudinal data. London: Tavistock.
11.
Fox, J. (Ed.). (1989). Health inequalities in European countries. Aldershot: Gover.
12.
Idler, E. L. , & Kasl, S. (1991). Health reception and survival: Do global evaluations really predict mortality?Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 46, 555-565.
13.
Illsley. R., & Svensson, P. G. (Eds.). (1990). Health inequalities in Europe [special issue]. Social Science & Medicine, 31(3).
14.
Johansson, L. , & Thorslund, M. (1992). Care needs and sources of support in a nationwide sample of elderly in Sweden. Zeitschriftftir Gerontologie, 25, 57-62.
15.
Longino, C. F. , Warheit, G. J., & Green, J. A. (1989). Class, aging, and health. In K. S. Markides (Ed.), Aging and health: Perspectives on gender, race, ethnicity, and class. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
16.
Lundberg, O. (1986). Class and health: Comparing Britain and Sweden. Social Science & Medicine, 23, 511-517.
17.
Lundberg, O. (1991). Causal explanations to class inequalities in health: An empirical analysis. Social Science & Medicine, 32, 385-394.
18.
Lundberg, O. (1992). Health inequalities in Sweden: Levels and trends. International Journal of Health Sciences, 3, 167-174.
19.
Lundberg, O. , & Thorslund, M. (1993). Fieldwork and measurement considerations in surveys of the oldest old. Experiences from the Swedish Level of Living Surveys. Manuscript submitted for publication.
20.
Manton, K. G. , & Suzman, R. M. (1992). Conceptual issues in the design and analysis of longitudinal surveys of the health and functioning of the oldest old. In R. M. Suzman, D. P. Willis, & K. G. Manton (Eds.), The oldest old. New York: Oxford University Press.
21.
Markides, K. (Ed.). (1989). Aging and health: Perspectives on gender, race, ethnicity, and class. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
22.
Mossey, J. M. , & Shapiro, E. (1982). Self-rated health: A predictor of mortality among the elderly. American Journal of Public Health, 72, 800-808.
23.
Otterblad Olausson, P. (1991). Mortality among the elderly in Sweden by social class. Social Science & Medicine, 32, 437-440.
24.
Rodgers, W. L. , & Herzog, A. R. (1992). Collecting data about the oldest old: Problems and procedures. In R. M. Suzman, D. P. Willis, & K. G. Manton (Eds.), The oldest old. New York: Oxford University Press.
25.
SAS Institute, Inc. (1989). SAS/STAT users guide: Version 6 (4th ed.). Cary, NC: Author.
26.
Thorsiund, M. , & Wirneryd, B. (1990). Surveying the elderly about health, medical care and living conditions. Some issues of response inconsistency. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 11, 161-173.
27.
Tibblin, G. (1992). 1913 och 1923 års män [Men born 1913 and 1923]. Hassle Information, 4, 3-10.
28.
Townsend, P. , & Davidson, N. (1982). Inequalities in health. Harmondsworth: Penguin.
29.
Townsend, P. , Davidson, N. O., & Whitehead, M. (1990). Inequalities in health: The Black Report and the health divide. Harmondsworth: Penguin.
30.
Vågerö, D. (1992). Health inequalities from the cradle to the grave: Hypotheses on health policy. International Journal of Health Sciences, 3, 175-183.
31.
Vågerö, D., & Illsley, R. (Eds.). (1992). Inequality, health and policy in East and West Europe [special issue]. International Journal of Health Sciences, 3(3/4).
32.
Vågerö, D. , & Lundberg, O. (1989). Health inequalities in Britain and Sweden. Lancet, 2, 35-36.
33.
Vågerö, D. , & Lundberg, O. (1993). Socio-economic mortality differentials among adults in Sweden: Towards an explanation. In A. Lopez, G. Caselli, & T. Valkonen (Eds.), Adult mortality in developed countries.
34.
Valkonen, T. (1987). Social inequality in the face of death. European Population Conference 1987, Plenaries. Helsinki: Central Statistical Office of Finland.
35.
Victor, C. R. (1989). Inequalities in health in old age. Age and Aging, 18, 387-391.
36.
Victor, C. R. (1991). Health and health care in later life. Milton Keynes, England: Open University Press.
37.
Wallace, R. B. , Kohout, F. J., & Colsher, P. I. (1992). Observations on interview surveys of the oldest old. In R. M. Suzman, D. P. Willis, & K. G. Manton (Eds), The oldest old. New York: Oxford University Press.
38.
Wilkinson, R. (Ed.). (1986). Class and health: Research and longitudinal data. London: Tavistock.
39.
Williams, D. R. (1990). Socioeconomic differentials in health: A review and redirection. Social Psychology Quarterly, 53, 81-99.
40.
Wnuk-Lipinski, E., & Illsley, R. (Eds.). (1990). Non-market economies in health [special issue]. Social Science & Medicine, 31(8).
