Barrett Anne E
Department of Sociology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, USA.
J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2003 Mar;58(2):S101-9. doi: 10.1093/geronb/58.2.s101.
This study examines health inequality as a potential explanation for socioeconomic differences in age identity. The following dimensions of health are examined: comparative self-rated health, self-assessed changes in physiological well-being, prospective self-rated health, perceived control over health, chronic conditions, and parents' health. Components of health also are explored as possible mediators of age differences in the effect of socioeconomic status on age identity.
Using the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States, ordinary least squares regression models of age identity are estimated for a representative sample of the noninstitutionalized U.S. population between the ages of 25 and 74 (n = 2,864).
The older identities held by the less socioeconomically advantaged are explained by their worse health, particularly their less favorable predictions of future health, compared with their wealthier peers. Differences in age identity by education and perceived financial well-being are greatest among older adults; however, health only partially accounts for these age patterns.
This study reveals that health inequalities shape the subjective experience of aging. Further work using longitudinal data is needed to determine the precise causal pathways linking socioeconomic status, health, and age identity.
本研究考察健康不平等，将其作为年龄认同方面社会经济差异的一种潜在解释。研究考察了以下健康维度：自我健康评价比较、生理健康状况的自我评估变化、预期自我健康评价、对健康的感知控制、慢性病以及父母的健康状况。健康的各个组成部分也被探讨，看其是否可能是社会经济地位对年龄认同影响中年龄差异的调节因素。
利用美国中年发展全国性调查，对年龄在25岁至74岁之间的非机构化美国人口代表性样本（n = 2864）估计年龄认同的普通最小二乘回归模型。
社会经济地位较低者持有的年龄认同感更老，这可以用他们较差的健康状况来解释，尤其是与较富裕同龄人相比，他们对未来健康的预测更不乐观。受教育程度和感知财务状况在年龄认同上的差异在老年人中最为明显；然而，健康状况只是部分地解释了这些年龄模式。
本研究表明健康不平等塑造了衰老的主观体验。需要进一步使用纵向数据的研究来确定连接社会经济地位、健康和年龄认同的精确因果路径。
