A multilevel analysis of the effects of neighbourhood income inequality on individual self-rated health in Hong Kong

Soc Sci Med. 2009 Jan;68(1):124-32. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2008.09.064. Epub 2008 Nov 6.

Abstract

We examined the effect on self-rated health of neighbourhood-level income inequality in Hong Kong, which has a high and growing Gini coefficient. Data were derived from two population household surveys in 2002 and 2005 of 25,623 and 24,610 non-institutional residents aged 15 or over. We estimated neighbourhood-level Gini coefficients in each of 287 Government Planning Department Tertiary Planning Units. We used multilevel regression analysis to assess the association of neighbourhood income inequality with individual self-perceived health status. After adjustment for both individual- and household-level predictors, there was no association between neighbourhood income inequality, median household income or household-level income and self-rated health. We tested for but did not find any statistical interaction between these three income-related exposures. These findings suggest that neighbourhood income inequality is not an important predictor of individual health status in Hong Kong.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Attitude to Health*
  • Family Characteristics
  • Female
  • Health Status Disparities*
  • Health Status Indicators*
  • Hong Kong / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Income / classification*
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Residence Characteristics / classification*
  • Residence Characteristics / statistics & numerical data
  • Self Concept
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Urban Health / classification*
  • Urban Health / statistics & numerical data
  • Young Adult