Socio-economic status and self-rated health among older Canadians

Although previous research has examined the various correlates of self-rated health, little attention has been paid to how position in the social structure influences this important measure of health. Drawing upon the social structure and personality perspective, I examine whether the relationship between socio-economic status (income adequacy and education) and self-rated health is mediated by financial stress, self-esteem, mastery social support, smoking, alcohol consumption and physical activity, using data from the 1994 National Population Health Survey. Results show that almost one-third of the relationship can be explained by the mediating effect of these variables. Income adequacy and education, however, remain significantly related to self-rated health net of these variables. Further research with a broader array of variables related to social position is required to specify the mechanisms connecting socio-economic status and perceived health.