Making ends meet – relating a self-reported indicator of financial hardship to health status

Kate Homer , Jayne Taylor, ALexander Miller, Kate Pickett, Lucy Wilson, John Robson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Background
Area-based index of multiple deprivation (IMD) indicators of financial hardship lack individual specificity and sensitivity. This study compared self-reports of hardship with area measures in relation to health status.

Methods
Interviews in one London Borough, reported financial hardship and health status. Associations of health status with most and least deprived quintiles of the IMD 2015 were compared with self-reported hardship; always or sometimes ‘having difficulty making ends meet at the end of the month’ in relation to never.

Results
1024 interviews reported hardship status in 1001 (98%). 392 people (39%) reported they ‘always’ or ‘sometimes’ had hardship. In multivariate analysis, self-reported hardship was more strongly associated with smoking; odds ratio = 5.4 (95% CI: 2.8–10.4) compared with IMD, odds ratio = 1.9 (95% CI: 1.2–3.2). Health impairment was also more likely with self-reported hardship, odds ratio = 11.1 (95% CI: 4.9–25.4) compared with IMD; odds ratio = 2.7 (95% CI: 1.4–5.3). Depression was similarly related; odds ratio = 2.4 (95% CI: 1.0–5.6) and 2.7 (95% CI: 1.2–6.6), respectively.

Conclusions
Self-reported hardship was more strongly related to health status than area-based indicators. Validity and implementation in routine health care settings remains to be established.
Original languageEnglish
Article numberfdad161
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of public health
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 24 Aug 2023

Bibliographical note

© The Author(s) 2023

Keywords

  • FINANCE
  • Public health
  • social determinants

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