摘要:This paper investigates using data on 2,700 persons in the North of Ireland, whether
there is a social gradient to health, both with respect to general health (self-assessed health
status; long-term limiting illness; the existence of a health problem) and with respect to specific
illnesses (asthma; arthritis; back pain; blood pressure problem; heart problem; mental illness).
The evidence suggests that people who live in poor housing (for example, damp houses with
inadequate heating) are more likely to be in bad health, in respect of both general health and
specific ailments, than persons living in good housing. There is also evidence that persons without
educational qualifications are more likely to be in bad health than persons who have educational
qualifications. Lastly, the results point to the fact that higher levels of household income are
associated with better health outcomes. If one defines the ¡°social gradient¡± in terms of these three
factors ¨C housing quality, education qualifications, and income level ¨C then the results suggest
that people¡¯s health outcomes depend upon their position on the social ladder.