This 3 page summary of Retirement, health and relationships in the older population in England: the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing 2004, edited by James Banks, Elizabeth Breeze, Carli Lessof and James Nazroo (eds.), published by the Institute for Fiscal Studies in June 2006 is, overall, a model of clarity, as well being a stark reminder of the extent of health inequality. Here is an extract:
"Across the [English] population, there is a strong relationship between wealth levels and both mortality and morbidity. For example, people from the poorest 20 per cent of the wealth spectrum were much more likely to die between the first and second wave of the survey [the waves of the study were two years apart] than their richer counterparts. Unsurprisingly, the older people were more likely to die, but the differential pattern by wealth is consistent across all age groups and strongest for the youngest. Of those aged 50–59 in the first interview 2.5 per cent of the poorest fifth had died, compared to only 0.2 per cent of the richest fifth. Of those aged 60–74, deaths accounted for 5.9 per cent of the poorest and 1.3 per cent of the richest."
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