Relative Deprivation, Poor Health Habits and Mortality

Using individual-level on males data from the 1988-1991 National Health Interview Survey Multiple Cause of Death Files, we examine the impact of relative deprivation within a reference group on health. We use measures of relative deprivation based on Yitzhaki’s index and define reference groups using combinations of state, race, education, and age. Those with high relative deprivation have a higher probability of death, are more likely to self-report poor health, have high blood pressure or disabilities, and have a host of poor health habits including smoking, not wearing safety belts, high body mass index and not exercising. This research was supported by a grant from the Russell Sage Foundation as part of their Special Project on Social Inequality. The authors wish to thank Angus Deaton, Jonah Gelbach, Judy Hellerstein, Sandy Jencks, Larry Katz, Andrew Lyon, Ed Montgomery, Seth Sanders, and Bob Schwab for a number of helpful comments. We also wish to thank Negasi Beyene, Bob Krasowski, and the staff at the National Center for Health Statistics Research Data Center for providing restricted-access data from the National Health Interview Survey.