PURPOSE Much variation in individual-level cognitive function in late life remains unexplained, with little exploration of area-level/contextual factors to date. Income inequality is a contextual factor that may plausibly influence cognitive function. METHODS In a nationally-representative cohort of older Americans from the Health and Retirement Study, we examined state- and metropolitan stat...

BACKGROUND The relation between income inequality and mortality in Canada is unclear, and modifying effects of characteristics such as immigration have not been examined. METHODS Using a cohort of 2 million Canadians followed for mortality from 1991-2001, we calculated HRs and 95% CIs for income inequality of 140 urban areas (Gini coefficient, Atkinson index, coefficient of variation; express...

The current era is characterized by simultaneous increase in many countries’ income inequalities and a decline in global inequality. People’s perception of inequality is shown to depend on how much they value absolute income vs. their national income position.

This article critically reviews published literature on the relationship between income inequality and health outcomes. Studies are systematically assessed in terms of design, data quality, measures, health outcomes, and covariates analyzed. At least 33 studies indicate a significant association between income inequality and health outcomes, while at least 12 studies do not find such an associa...

What explains the spectacular increases in inequality of disposable income in transitional economies of Central and Eastern Europe? There are at least two possible explanations. First, the pre-tax distribution of income became more unequal because of the shift to a market economy. Second, the degree of progressivity of the income tax system declined. But each of these factors is in turn determi...

The purpose of this study is that, whether inputs and insurance protection policy can effect on income inequality or not? The data which was needed for this study was gained by stratified simple random sampling from 573 wheat insured and uninsured farmers in North, Razavi and South Khorasan provinces in 1383. Result of this study showed that wheat farmer’s income tends to inequality as among th...

OBJECTIVES This study assessed whether income inequality and primary care physician supply have a different effect on mortality among Blacks compared with Whites. METHODS We conducted a multivariate ecologic analysis of 1990 data from 273 US metropolitan areas. RESULTS Both income inequality and primary care physician supply were significantly associated with White mortality (P < .01). Afte...

This paper studies the sensitivity of various health indicators to income inequality as measured by regional Gini coefficients, using individual microdata from Finland over the period 1993-2005. There is no overall association between income and health at the regional level. We discovered that, among men, there are no significant associations between income inequality and several measures of he...

This paper shows that within-country happiness inequality has fallen in the majority of countries that have experienced positive income growth over the last forty years, in particular in developed countries. This new stylized fact comes as an addition to the Easterlin paradox, which states that the time trend in average happiness is flat during episodes of long-run income growth. This mean-pres...

When analysing the factors of income inequality, first as many factors as possible have to be included in order to obtain valid results. The present article systematises the factors of income inequality discussed in the pertinent literature into five groups and summarises the hypotheses about the signs of the influences of the discussed factors on income inequality. But additionally the influen...