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A comparison of socioeconomic differences in physical functioning and perceived health among male and female employees in Britain, Finland and Japan

Author

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  • Martikainen, Pekka
  • Lahelma, Eero
  • Marmot, Michael
  • Sekine, Michikazu
  • Nishi, Nobuo
  • Kagamimori, Sadanobu

Abstract

We compared the pattern of socioeconomic inequalities in physical functioning and perceived health among male and female employees in Britain, Finland and Japan. Participants were male and female public sector employees in Britain, Finland and Japan, who were economically active and 40-60 year-olds at the time of data collection. We measured perceived health and physical functioning (SF-36 physical component summary) with standardized health questionnaires. The results obtained here reconfirm the similarity of the patterns of ill-health of those with lower socioeconomic status among non-manual men and women in Britain and Finland. These data also provide good evidence for a socioeconomic gradient in ill-health among Japanese non-manual men, although this gradient was less systematic. For Japanese men poorer health of manual workers as compared to non-manual workers was well demonstrated. However, among Japanese women socioeconomic differences in health were small and inconsistent. In conclusion, Britain, Finland and Japan--representing 'liberal', 'Nordic' and 'conservative' welfare state regimes--produce broadly similar patterns of socioeconomic differences in health among men. However, different patterns of labour force participation and welfare provision in different welfare regimes may bring about different patterns of socioeconomic differences in health for working women. This is exemplified by the lack of health inequalities among employed Japanese women.

Suggested Citation

  • Martikainen, Pekka & Lahelma, Eero & Marmot, Michael & Sekine, Michikazu & Nishi, Nobuo & Kagamimori, Sadanobu, 2004. "A comparison of socioeconomic differences in physical functioning and perceived health among male and female employees in Britain, Finland and Japan," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 59(6), pages 1287-1295, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:59:y:2004:i:6:p:1287-1295
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    1. Hiyoshi, Ayako & Fukuda, Yoshiharu & Shipley, Martin J. & Bartley, Mel & Brunner, Eric J., 2013. "A new theory-based social classification in Japan and its validation using historically collected information," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 84-92.
    2. Sekine, Michikazu & Chandola, Tarani & Martikainen, Pekka & Marmot, Michael & Kagamimori, Sadanobu, 2006. "Socioeconomic inequalities in physical and mental functioning of Japanese civil servants: Explanations from work and family characteristics," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 63(2), pages 430-445, July.
    3. Sekine, Michikazu & Chandola, Tarani & Martikainen, Pekka & Marmot, Michael & Kagamimori, Sadanobu, 2009. "Socioeconomic inequalities in physical and mental functioning of British, Finnish, and Japanese civil servants: Role of job demand, control, and work hours," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 69(10), pages 1417-1425, November.
    4. Hilla Sumanen & Eero Lahelma & Olli Pietiläinen & Ossi Rahkonen, 2017. "The Magnitude of Occupational Class Differences in Sickness Absence: 15-Year Trends among Young and Middle-Aged Municipal Employees," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-13, June.
    5. Nakamura, Sayaka, 2014. "Parental income and child health in Japan," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 42-55.
    6. Jerneja Farkas & Majda Pahor & Lijana Zaletel-Kragelj, 2011. "Self-rated health in different social classes of Slovenian adult population: nationwide cross-sectional study," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 56(1), pages 45-54, February.
    7. Sekine, Michikazu & Tatsuse, Takashi & Kagamimori, Sadanobu & Chandola, Tarani & Cable, Noriko & Marmot, Michael & Martikainen, Pekka & Lallukka, Tea & Rahkonen, Ossi & Lahelma, Eero, 2011. "Sex inequalities in physical and mental functioning of British, Finnish, and Japanese civil servants: Role of job demand, control and work hours," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 73(4), pages 595-603, August.
    8. Kjellsson, Sara, 2018. "," Working Paper Series 2/2018, Stockholm University, Swedish Institute for Social Research.
    9. Sekine, Michikazu & Chandola, Tarani & Martikainen, Pekka & Marmot, Michael & Kagamimori, Sadanobu, 2010. "Sex differences in physical and mental functioning of Japanese civil servants: Explanations from work and family characteristics," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(12), pages 2091-2099, December.
    10. Saijo, Yasuaki & Yoshioka, Eiji & Fukui, Tomonori & Kawaharada, Mariko & Kishi, Reiko, 2008. "Relationship of socioeconomic status to C-reactive protein and arterial stiffness in urban Japanese civil servants," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(6), pages 971-981, September.
    11. Abdul Karim, Syahirah & Eikemo, Terje A. & Bambra, Clare, 2010. "Welfare state regimes and population health: Integrating the East Asian welfare states," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 94(1), pages 45-53, January.
    12. Zajacova, Anna, 2006. "Education, gender, and mortality: Does schooling have the same effect on mortality for men and women in the US?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 63(8), pages 2176-2190, October.
    13. Kagamimori, Sadanobu & Gaina, Alexandru & Nasermoaddeli, Ali, 2009. "Socioeconomic status and health in the Japanese population," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 68(12), pages 2152-2160, June.
    14. Hisashi Eguchi & Koji Wada & Yoshiyuki Higuchi & Daisuke Yoneoka & Derek R Smith, 2015. "Work Content and Serious Mental Illness among Middle-Aged Men: Results from a 6-Year Longitudinal Study in Japan," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(6), pages 1-11, June.
    15. Marc Luy & Paola Di Giulio, 2006. "The impact of health behaviors and life quality on gender differences in mortality," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2006-035, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.

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