Abstract
Abstract Background In perspective of health promotion strategies among older adults, it is particularly important to identify socioeconomic determinants associated with the dynamic of health. In this study, we want to assess the role of financial difficulties on health among older adults. Methods We use cohort data coming from the Lausanne cohort 65+. Participants were community-dwelling older adults representative of the general population aged 65 to 70 years in 2004 and living in Lausanne (Switzerland). This cohort is a longitudinal survey and was designed as an annual survey where same individuals (N = 1564) are re-interviewed in successive waves. Wave 1 and wave 2 are considered as baselines. We perform our analysis on the 2006-2016 period (11 waves). We consider the health dynamic by estimating system GMM estimators. Our main explanatory variable is a proxy of financial difficulties: “Have you been confronted to financial difficulties in the last 12 months?”. We study the effect of this variable on several health indicators (self-rated health, number of medical conditions, depression, difficulties in activities in daily living) and evaluate if this effect is similar for these different dimensions of health. Results Our econometric analysis underlines the importance of using dynamic approach: health lag variables have significant effects (p < 0.01) and to control for endogeneity bias. We find no evidence of a causal link from having financial difficulties to health. The effect was non-significant for all health variables. Conclusions In terms of public policy, our results provide insight that policies allowing to limit short term financial difficulties are not essential to protect elderly against health deterioration. Key messages There is no evidence of a causal link from having financial difficulties to health. Policies allowing to limit short term financial difficulties are not essential to protect older adults against health deterioration.
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