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Income disparities in health-adjusted life expectancy for Canadian adults, 1991 to 2001
Publication: Health Reports 2009:20(4) www.statcan.gc.ca/healthreports
Authors: Cameron N. McIntosh, Philippe Finès, Russell Wilkins and Michael C. Wolfson
Data: 1991-2001 Canadian census mortality follow-up and 2001 Canadian Community Health Survey
Findings from Canada and other countries have consistently demonstrated that accounting for morbidity as well as mortality reveals even greater socioeconomic disparities in health outcomes, because of the generally worse morbidity experience of disadvantaged persons.
This is the first study to provide nationally representative estimates of socio-economic inequalities in health-adjusted life expectancy for the adult household population of Canada, using individual-level measures of socio-economic status, mortality and morbidity. For both sexes, disparities in health-adjusted life expectancy between the highest and lowest income groups (tenths of population) were substantially greater than those for life expectancy alone.
Between the highest and lowest income groups, the differences in life expectancy at age 25 were 7.4 years for men, and 4.5 years for women, while differences in health-adjusted life expectancy were 11.4 years for men and 9.7 years for women.
These findings highlight the generally worse health-related quality of life of lower-income groups. The results demonstrate that assessments of socio-economic disparities in health should include the effects of both mortality and morbidity.
