Healthy Aging in the Context of Educational Disadvantage: The Role of "Ordinary Magic".

TitleHealthy Aging in the Context of Educational Disadvantage: The Role of "Ordinary Magic".
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2017
AuthorsMcLaughlin, SJ
JournalJ Aging Health
Volume29
Issue7
Pagination1214-1234
Date Published2017 10
ISSN Number1552-6887
KeywordsAged, Aged, 80 and over, Educational Status, Female, Health Behavior, healthy aging, Humans, Logistic Models, Male, Middle Aged, Social Class, United States
Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to examine the correlates of healthy aging in the context of educational disadvantage and the extent to which identified correlates are shared with the wider, more educationally advantaged population.

METHOD: Data are from the 2012 Health and Retirement Study. The analytic sample included 17,484 self-respondents ≥50 years of age. Educational disadvantage was defined as having less than a high school diploma. Using logistic regression, healthy aging was regressed on demographic, early-life, and health-related factors by educational status.

RESULTS: Among educationally disadvantaged adults, demographic characteristics (e.g., age), health practices (e.g., physical activity), and the presence of health conditions were independently correlated with healthy aging. With few exceptions, correlates of healthy aging were similar among educationally advantaged and disadvantaged adults.

DISCUSSION: Ordinary factors are associated with healthy aging among adults without a high school diploma, suggesting that healthy aging is possible for larger numbers of adults aging in the context of educational disadvantage.

URLhttp://jah.sagepub.com/cgi/doi/10.1177/0898264316659994
DOI10.1177/0898264316659994
User Guide Notes

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27444894?dopt=Abstract

Short TitleJournal of Aging and Health
Alternate JournalJ Aging Health
Citation Key8571
PubMed ID27444894