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Journal article

Educational inequalities in self-rated health across US States and European countries

Abstract:

Objectives

The US show a distinct health disadvantage when compared to other high-income nations. A potential lever to reduce this disadvantage is to improve the health situation of lower socioeconomic groups. Our objective is to explore how the considerable within-US variation in health inequalities compares to the health inequalities across other Western countries.

Methods

Representative survey data from 44 European countries and the US federal states were obtained from the fourth wave of the European Values Study (EVS, 2008) and the 2008 wave of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Using binary logistic regression, we analyze different forms of educational inequalities in self-rated health (SRH), adjusted for age and sex.

Results

The extent of educational inequalities in SRH varies considerably over European countries and US states; with US states in general showing greater inequality, however differences between US states and European countries are less clear than commonly assumed.

Conclusion

The US have considerable differences in educational inequalities in SRH across geographic locations. To understand the reasons for the US health disadvantage, comparative research has to take into account the vast variation in health inequalities within the US.

Publication status:
Published
Peer review status:
Peer reviewed

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Publisher copy:
10.1007/s00038-017-0981-6

Authors


More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
SSD
Department:
Sociology
Role:
Author


Publisher:
Springer
Journal:
International Journal of Public Health More from this journal
Volume:
62
Issue:
6
Pages:
709–716
Publication date:
2017-05-01
Acceptance date:
2017-05-12
DOI:
EISSN:
1661-8564
ISSN:
1661-8556


Keywords:
Pubs id:
pubs:694234
UUID:
uuid:474bc76b-0142-4f31-86f5-2410cef0f992
Local pid:
pubs:694234
Source identifiers:
694234
Deposit date:
2017-05-12

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