Beyond Income: A Social Justice Approach to Assessing Poverty among Older Adults with Chronic Kidney Disease

J Gerontol Soc Work. 2017 Aug-Oct;60(6-7):553-568. doi: 10.1080/01634372.2017.1344174. Epub 2017 Jun 22.

Abstract

How social workers define and assess poverty is a matter of economic and social justice. Recent conceptual and measurement advances point to a multidimensional definition of poverty which captures material, social, and political deprivations. Using data from a survey, this article describes how nephrology social workers assess poverty among older adults living with a chronic kidney disease (N = 52). Results suggest respondents already conceive of poverty as a multidimensional experience, support awareness-raising about poverty, and primarily assess poverty by employment status, income, access to transportation, and education. Opportunities to expand poverty assessment in future work are promising.

Keywords: Aging; assessment; chronic kidney disease; multidimensional poverty measures; poverty.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Cost of Illness*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Poverty / economics*
  • Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / complications
  • Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / economics*
  • Social Justice*
  • Social Workers / psychology*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires