Multi-Level Income Inequality and Well-Being with Ageing: A Longitudinal Canada/U.S. Comparison

Socio-economic conditions and well-being/health have a complex time-dependent relationship – that is widely acknowledged. Well-being is linked to macro-level social, economic and political contexts. Many analyses have been cross-sectional, however, not involving longitudinal repeated measures. And the role of geographic area in health outcomes over time remains something of a puzzle.

In this webinar, we will examine whether income inequality at various levels of geography (community, province/state, country) is associated with individual well-being as Canadians and Americans age from mid to later life, using data from the National Population Health Survey (NPHS) in Canada (1994/95 - 2010/11) and the National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH), Wave 1 (1987-88) & 2 (1992-94) in the U.S. Individual NSFH records were merged with geographic area contextual data from the 1980 and 1990 U.S. Censuses that we obtained as a special request. We find that mid-life Canadians as they age are more susceptible to harmful mental health effects as income inequality increases at the provincial level. Americans are more prone to overall health challenges with ageing as inequalities increase at the state level.

Susan A. McDaniel is Prentice Research Chair in Global Population and Economy, Director of the Prentice Institute and Professor of Sociology, University of Lethbridge. She is Principal Investigator of a study of Inequalities in Canada and the U.S. in relation to later life health risks, and Co-Investigator on two research projects funded by the SSHRC on Social Engagement in Mid-Life (PI is Stephanie Gaudet, Université d’Ottawa), and on Across Generations (PI is Amber Gazso, York University). She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and the recipient of many research and teaching awards. She is the author of nine books and research monographs, over 180 research articles and book chapters, and she is a frequent keynote speaker at national and international conferences. She is an advisor to governments in Canada, the UK and the EU on social statistics, social policies, science/technology and innovation policies and official data collection.