Wealth inequality: the poorest live 4 years less than the wealthiest
Individuals who do not have adequate financial resources live 3 to 4 years less than those who are considered wealthy, a new study revealed.
Published in the journal Scientific Reports, the report assessed the life span of individuals in Spain based on socioeconomic levels.
After analysing the relationship between life expectancy and socioeconomic levels, researchers determined that there is a disparity when it comes to gender.
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It turns out that men and women living in the most deprived areas have 3.8 and 3.2 years less, respectively, than counterparts who are in better living conditions.
On average, women in the study live 5.6 years more than men, with a lifespan of 82.9 years for women while 77.3 years for men.
Meanwhile, the study observed that for both sexes, life expectancy is greater in the provincial capitals rather than rural areas, and in the north of the peninsula.
The findings of the study reveal the link between individual life span and the continuous wealth inequality in the world today.
The results of the study will be crucial in studying the survival rates of individuals from different diseases such as cancer and other chronic illnesses by introducing the health inequality perspective.
The connection between wealth and life span
Meanwhile, a previous transatlantic study showed that having more wealth adds nine years to life expectancy, and it leads to a life that is free from pain and disability.
The report, which was conducted within a 10-year period, evaluated all the economic and social factors behind the reasons why people fall ill as they age.
Dr. Paola Zaninotto, epidemiology and healthcare professor at University College London, said the study aimed to estimate the number of years of life that people spend in favourable states of health.
In the end, Zaninotto and his team found that the wealthiest men in the United States and England lived about an additional 31 healthy years compared with 22 to 23 years for those in the less financially privileged group.
Meanwhile, women from the wealthiest group lived an added 33 healthy years, compared with 24 and 24.6 years from the less financially privileged group.
The study revealed that living with wealth has implications for good health for both men and women, and underscores the importance of wealth equality.