Difference in social determinants of health between men in the poor and the wealthy social strata in a Caribbean nation

BACKGROUND Studies that have examined social determinants of health have made their investigations on the population, but none have reviewed them from the perspective of particular social hierarchies. AIM The study examined the factors determining the self-reported health of men of different socioeconomic status, by using models derived through econometric analyses. MATERIALS #ENTITYSTARTX00026; METHODS The study used a sample of 6,474 respondents: 2,704 from the two poor quintiles and 3,770 from the two wealthy quintiles. The survey used a random stratified probability sampling technique and involved the use of self-administered questionnaires. Multiple logistic regression technique was used to identify variables which are associated with health conditions of men in the two social hierarchies. RESULTS The findings revealed that the self-reported health of men in the two wealthiest quintiles were substantially influenced by private health insurance coverage (Odds Ratio (OR) = 32.9, 95%CI: 20.64, 52.45) and age of respondents (OR = 1.03, 95%CI: 1.02, 1.04) This was similar for men in the two poorest income quintiles; private health insurance coverage (OR = 16.97, 95%CI: 10.18, 28.27) and age (OR=1.05, 95%CI: 1.03, 1.06). Negative affective psychological conditions, consumption and medical expenditure affected the self-reported health of those in the two wealthiest quintiles, while positive affective, secondary levels of education and living alone influenced those in the two poorest quintiles. CONCLUSION This research serves as a foundation for further work relating to the determinants of self-reported health conditions, inequity across socio-economic strata for men, and how patient care should be addressed.