HEALTH, AGING AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN MEXICO

Abstract

We investigate the long-term effect of childhood and adult socio-economic conditions on the health of the elderly in Mexico. We utilize a panel of individuals aged 50 and above from the Mexican Health and Aging Survey to examine whether the transition from good health in 2001 to good health in 2003 is affected by the conisions under which the individual lived at the age of 10, accounting for education and income. We find that socio-economic conditions affect the health of the elderly in Mexico. Individuals with higher levels of income and from higher childhood socio-economic backgrounds are more likely to remain in good health, conditional on their health in 2001. Our paper contributes to the literature of the long-term effects of socio-economic status by considering the case of the elderly in a developing country.