Health-Related Quality of Life of Low-Socioeconomic-Status Populations in Urban China

Previous researchers had not yet examined the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in urban China. The present study attempts to assess HRQOL of lower-SES populations in urban China in comparison with middle- and high-SES populations, and then to examine the mediating role of sense of control between SES and HRQOL. A national representative sample of 1,856 participants responded to the HRQOL survey using the 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12), conducted by the Chinese General Social Survey research team in 2010. The results showed that lower-SES populations reported lower HRQOL than middle- and high-SES populations. Sense of control could partially mediate the association between social class and HRQOL. These findings will generate significant policy and practice implications for identifying those at particular risk for lower HRQOL and, accordingly, suggesting ways to improve their HRQOL through specific social work interventions in urban China's context.