Educational Gradients and Pathways of Disability Onset among Older Mexicans: Context, Cohort and Sex

Joseph Saenz, University of Texas at Galveston
Rebeca Wong, University of Texas at Galveston

Introduction: Socioeconomic-health disparities research is less common in developing countries. We evaluate whether educational gradients of disability onset exist in Mexico across groups (rural/urban, birth cohort and sex) and pathways between education and disability onset. Method: Data come from the Mexican Health & Aging Study. Activities of Daily Living disability are reported in 2001, 2003 and 2012 by respondents and spouses age 50+ (n=9,605). Groups are analyzed separately using logistic regression to test for education-disability onset associations. Preliminary Results: Regressions showed education-disability onset gradients in all groups besides the older rural group. Health behaviors and chronic conditions appear to not mediate education-disability onset associations. Discussion: Education-disability onset gradients in Mexico seem consistent with developed countries. The older rural group may not exhibit gradients due to mortality selection and differential returns to education in rural/urban contexts. Full analyses will test whether education-disability onset associations are mediated by occupation, income and wealth.