The European Journal of Public Health Advance Access originally published online on October 9, 2007
The European Journal of Public Health 2008 18(2):138-143; doi:10.1093/eurpub/ckm097
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Health Inequalities |
Health inequalities among older adults in Sweden 1991–2002
Stefan Fors1,2, Carin Lennartsson1 and Olle Lundberg3
1 Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm University, Sweden
2 Department of Social Work, Stockholm University, Sweden
3 Center for Health Equity Studies, Stockholm University & Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
Correspondence: Stefan Fors, Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm University, Gävlegatan 16, SE-113 30 Stockholm, Sweden, tel: +46 8 690 68 78, fax: +46 8 690 68 89, e-mail: stefan.fors{at}ki.se
Received March 5, 2007 , accepted September 4, 2007
Background: Current research has shown a decline in health among older adults in Sweden. This study examines health inequalities among older adults in Sweden in 1991–1992 and 2000–2002 and explores the development of these inequalities during this period. Methods: A data set was constructed out of four levels of living surveys, comprising 4085 individuals aged 55 and above. Multivariate logistic regressions were used to assess the association between social class, sex, age and four different domains of self-reported health: global self-rated health, impaired mobility, musculoskeletal pain and psychological distress. Adjustments were made for period of interview. Interaction terms were also used to assess change over time. Levin's attributable risk was used to assess the magnitude of the health inequalities. Results: The results indicate an increase in reports of all specific health problems, but not in the global health measure during the period. Significant sex differences and a clear social gradient in health were discernible during both periods. Women were more likely than men to report problems with impaired mobility, pain and psychological distress. Manual workers were significantly more likely than non-manuals to report problems in all four domains of health. However, both the sex differences and the social gradient seemed to remain constant during the period. Conclusion: Although it seems there are significant differences in health depending on sex and social class among older adults in Sweden, these inequalities appear to be unaffected by the general increase in ill health that has been observed in these groups over the last decade.
Keywords: health inequalities, health trends, older adults, sweden