Labour market participation, income and health in Hungary

Katalin Kovács, Demographic Research Institute, Budapest

The relative importance of structural determinants of ill health (such as economic activity, educational level, income, occupation and deprivation) in 2001 was analyzed on the basis of survey data by logistic regression. The analysis revealed strong independent effect of all structural on self rated health variables except occupation. When the middle aged group is examined excluding disability pensioners, the relative importance of structural variables changed considerably, especially the effect of income, which disappears. This unusual pattern indicates that economic inactivity can also be the cause of ill health via low income. In a complementary analysis, the data of the second wave of our panel survey will be used. We will compare the 2001 and 2004 health statuses of the middle aged group, separating disability pensioners in order to clarify the role of income in worsening or improving health. Multinomial logistic regression is planned to be used in the analysis.