Socio-economic differences in disability by age in sub-Saharan Africa: A cross-national study using the World Health Survey

This study aims to examine the relationship between socio-economic status (as measured by education) and multiple disability measures among adults in eighteen sub-Saharan African countries, and to determine whether the strength of this relationship varies across age groups. The analysis uses data drawn from the 2002–04 World Health Survey. The findings indicate that low education is positively associated with poor functional health, and the functional health gap between educational levels increases across age groups. These findings suggest that in sub-Saharan African countries, the undereducated are less successful in postponing disability to later ages. Cette etude examine la relation entre le niveau d’education et les incapacites parmi les adultes dans 18 pays d’Afrique subsaharienne, et determine si cette relation varie selon les groupes d’âge. L’analyse a utilise les donnees de l’enquete mondiale de sante 2002–2004. Nos resultats indiquent que le manque d'education etait positivement associe a des niveaux plus eleves d'incapacites, et le differentiel d’etat de sante fonctionnelle entre les differents niveaux d'education augmentait entre les groupes d’âges. Ces resultats suggerent qu’en Afrique subsaharienne, les individus faiblement eduques ont moins de succes dans le report de l’incapacite dans la vieillesse.