Chi-Tsun Chiu1, Mark Hayward2, Yasuhiko Saito3. 1. Institute of European and American Studies, Academia Sinica, Taipei City, Taiwan ctchiu@gate.sinica.edu.tw. 2. The University of Texas at Austin, USA. 3. Nihon University, Tokyo, Japan.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study examined the educational gradient of health and mortality between two long-lived populations: Japan and the United States. METHOD: This analysis is based on the Nihon University Japanese Longitudinal Study of Aging and the Health and Retirement Study to compare educational gradients in multiple aspects of population health-life expectancy with/without disability, functional limitations, or chronic diseases, using prevalence-based Sullivan life tables. RESULTS: Our results show that education coefficients from physical health and mortality models are similar for both Japan and American populations, and older Japanese have better mortality and health profiles. DISCUSSION: Japan's compulsory national health service system since April 1961 and living arrangements with adult children may play an important role for its superior health profile compared with that of the United States.
OBJECTIVE: This study examined the educational gradient of health and mortality between two long-lived populations: Japan and the United States. METHOD: This analysis is based on the Nihon University Japanese Longitudinal Study of Aging and the Health and Retirement Study to compare educational gradients in multiple aspects of population health-life expectancy with/without disability, functional limitations, or chronic diseases, using prevalence-based Sullivan life tables. RESULTS: Our results show that education coefficients from physical health and mortality models are similar for both Japan and American populations, and older Japanese have better mortality and health profiles. DISCUSSION: Japan's compulsory national health service system since April 1961 and living arrangements with adult children may play an important role for its superior health profile compared with that of the United States.
Authors: Jenny Head; Holendro Singh Chungkham; Martin Hyde; Paola Zaninotto; Kristina Alexanderson; Sari Stenholm; Paula Salo; Mika Kivimäki; Marcel Goldberg; Marie Zins; Jussi Vahtera; Hugo Westerlund Journal: Eur J Public Health Date: 2019-04-01 Impact factor: 3.367