The Income-health Gradient Descriptive Evidence Basic Relationship between Socioeconomic Status and Health

including mortality, morbidity, general health, health habits, and functional limitations. These health indicators have in turn been associated with a number of socioeconomic status measures, including income, wealth, occupation, and education. While these indicators of socioeconomic status are all related to one another, each has unique aspects. Some of these indicators may serve as both a cause and an outcome of health status. For example, income may drop as a result of poor health, and poor health may also result from income constraints. In contrast, education is generally established relatively early in life and is less likely to be subject to changes in health status. But income is easier to change in the shorter run, and so may be the favored policy instrument.