Sex Differences of Perceived Health before and During the Economic Crisis (2007 and 2011). Spain

OBJECTIVE: Several studies show the association between economic crises, unemployment and health income. However, it is necessary to differentiate their impact according to gender. The objective of this study was to analyze the effect that the economic crisis, unemployment and income may have had on the perceived health of men and women in Spain. METODOS: Se realizo un estudio transversal que combino las Encuestas de Condiciones de Vida de 2007 y 2011, incluyendo a 43.900 personas adultas de hasta 65 anos. Se realizo analisis estratificado y regresion logistica multivariante. La variable dependiente fue la salud percibida y las variables independientes la renta, la situacion laboral, la educacion, la enfermedad cronica y el ano de la encuesta. RESULTS: Perceived health improved over the period under consideration, from 75.1% in 2007 to 83%,0 in 2011. Unemployment significantly increased the chances of reporting perceived bad health in men [OR=1.45; CI95%:1.26-1.67] but not in women [OR=1.20; CI95%:0.99-1.47]. ORs of perceived bad health were higher for women than for men in the lower-income [1.81; IC95%1,56-2,11 against 1.70; IC95%:1,46-1,97. 2011] was related to a lower probability of poor perceived health in both men [OR=0.41, CI95%: 0.37-0.46] and women [OR=0.39 ; CI95%:0.35-0.44]. CONCLUSIONS: The association of the economic crisis with perceived health was similar in men and women. Unemployment was a risk factor for perceived bad health in the case of men. Available income, education level, and the presence of chronic illness had a larger influence as determinants of perceived bad health for women than they did for men.