OBJECTIVE: Compelling evidence suggests that socioeconomic status (SES) is a determinant of health outcomes among persons with arthritis. SES in early life has likewise been associated with various aspects of health, but the connection between childhood SES and health among people with arthritis remains to be investigated. The purpose of this study was to determine the influences of current and childhood SES on self-reported disability, depression, and physical and mental health among people with self-reported doctor-diagnosed arthritis. METHODS: Data originated from a North Carolina network of primary care centers. Participants with self-reported arthritis with complete sociodemographic and relevant health information were retained in our sample (n = 782). We created summary measures for current and childhood SES from indicators of education, occupation, and homeownership, using parental SES as a proxy for participants' childhood SES. Linear regression models were used to assess the associations between health outcomes and SES variables separately and together, adjusting for key covariates. RESULTS: Lower childhood and current SES scores were associated with worse disability and physical health. Current SES was furthermore associated with mental health and depressive symptoms. Associations of low current and childhood SES with health outcomes remained significant when concurrently included in a linear model. CONCLUSION: Childhood and current SES are both determinants of health among persons with arthritis. This underscores the importance of childhood SES as a determinant of adult health among individuals with arthritis. Further studies should focus on these associations in different populations and across different types of arthritis.
OBJECTIVE: Compelling evidence suggests that socioeconomic status (SES) is a determinant of health outcomes among persons with arthritis. SES in early life has likewise been associated with various aspects of health, but the connection between childhood SES and health among people with arthritis remains to be investigated. The purpose of this study was to determine the influences of current and childhood SES on self-reported disability, depression, and physical and mental health among people with self-reported doctor-diagnosed arthritis. METHODS: Data originated from a North Carolina network of primary care centers. Participants with self-reported arthritis with complete sociodemographic and relevant health information were retained in our sample (n = 782). We created summary measures for current and childhood SES from indicators of education, occupation, and homeownership, using parental SES as a proxy for participants' childhood SES. Linear regression models were used to assess the associations between health outcomes and SES variables separately and together, adjusting for key covariates. RESULTS: Lower childhood and current SES scores were associated with worse disability and physical health. Current SES was furthermore associated with mental health and depressive symptoms. Associations of low current and childhood SES with health outcomes remained significant when concurrently included in a linear model. CONCLUSION: Childhood and current SES are both determinants of health among persons with arthritis. This underscores the importance of childhood SES as a determinant of adult health among individuals with arthritis. Further studies should focus on these associations in different populations and across different types of arthritis.
Authors: Kate Birnie; Rachel Cooper; Richard M Martin; Diana Kuh; Avan Aihie Sayer; Beatriz E Alvarado; Antony Bayer; Kaare Christensen; Sung-il Cho; Cyrus Cooper; Janie Corley; Leone Craig; Ian J Deary; Panayotes Demakakos; Shah Ebrahim; John Gallacher; Alan J Gow; David Gunnell; Steven Haas; Tomas Hemmingsson; Hazel Inskip; Soong-nang Jang; Kenya Noronha; Merete Osler; Alberto Palloni; Finn Rasmussen; Brigitte Santos-Eggimann; Jacques Spagnoli; John Starr; Andrew Steptoe; Holly Syddall; Per Tynelius; David Weir; Lawrence J Whalley; Maria Victoria Zunzunegui; Yoav Ben-Shlomo; Rebecca Hardy Journal: PLoS One Date: 2011-01-26 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Adalberto Loyola-Sanchez; Julie Richardson; Seanne Wilkins; John N Lavis; Michael G Wilson; Jose Alvarez-Nemegyei; Ingris Pelaez-Ballestas Journal: Clin Rheumatol Date: 2015-09-03 Impact factor: 2.980
Authors: Adalberto Loyola-Sanchez; Julie Richardson; Ingris Pelaez-Ballestas; José Alvarez-Nemegyei; John N Lavis; Michael G Wilson; Seanne Wilkins Journal: Clin Rheumatol Date: 2015-10-07 Impact factor: 2.980