A Comparative Analysis of Inequality in Health across Europe

Abstract

The study of inequality in health concerns the relationship between socially structured characteristics and health outcomes. Howewer, health disparities are also linked to purely individual characteristics and contextual ones. In particular, the contextual effect at a national level may reflect differences in the functioning and performing of national health institutions, that may be conceived as further determinants of health inequalities. In this work we aim at estimating the effect of education on self-assessed health across European countries, taking into account potential confounders like age, gender and family social background. Using a multilevel model with individuals nested in countries, we can achieve two aims. First, we can see whether countries differ in their average self-assessed health score. Second, we can test our hypothesis about the existence of a European social gradient, that is that education exerts a relatively constant effect on self-assessed health. We develop our models using data from European Social Surveys (88,842 interviews).

The health of Italians before and after the economic crisis of 2008

“…This result is consistent with the empirical evidence concerning social inequalities in health. In particular, the most disadvantaged categories for 2013 are those in the leftmost part of the graph (Conti, Heckman, & Urzua, 2010; Della Bella, Sarti, Lucchini, & Bordogna, 2011).…”

Desigualdades socioeconómicas en salud en la Argentina e Italia en 2015-2018

“…Las explicaciones sobre el rol de la educación en la salud se superponen parcialmente con las de la posición ocupacional -también se encuentran firmemente vinculadas-. Los individuos que poseen una educación superior tienden a obtener mejores empleos -más saludable, menos estresante, más autónomo-(Della Bella, Sarti, Lucchini & Bordogna, 2011;Brunner & Marmot, 2006;Wilkinson & Marmot, 2003), tienen mejores ingresos, pueden proporcionarse mejores viviendas y estándares de vida -como actividad física, mejores dietas, etcétera- (De Irala-Estévez, Groth, Johansson, Oltersdorf, Prättälä & Martínez-González, 2000;Mancino, Lin & Bellenger, 2004;McLaren, 2007), pueden contar con relaciones sociales más valiosas -con médicos o personas informadas-. Además, poseer mayores recursos culturales proporciona un mejor conocimiento de medicina y una utilización más fácil y efectiva de los servicios de salud, incluyendo la medicina preventiva (Herzlich & Adam, 1994).…”

Stili di vita nell'Italia della crisi: il cambiamento nelle abitudini insalubri secondo le condizioni lavorative

“…Essi mostrano il noto gradiente tante volte individuato negli studi sulle disuguaglianze sociali nella salute. La propensione al rischio è tendenzialmente più marcata per le categorie sociali socio-economicamente più svantaggiate sul mercato del lavoro in termini di capitale culturale, economico e sociale (Della Bella et al 2011;Mackenbach et al 2008;Sarti 2006). In particolare i soggetti in cerca di lavoro, sono tra coloro maggiormente esposti al consumo di tabacco, all'alcol e all'obesità.…”