Income inequality at neighbourhood level and quality of life--a contextual analysis.

OBJECTIVE

Associations were examined between neighbourhood income inequality and neighbourhood socioeconomic deprivation on the one hand and (mental) health related quality of life (QoL) on the other, in Maastricht, the Netherlands.

METHODS

Three different data sources were used: 1) neighbourhood socioeconomic indicators, 2) house prices per postal code area aggregated to an inequality measure at neighbourhood level, and 3) individual data measured in a family cohort study. Maastricht families with children aged approximately 11 years received questionnaires including the parents' QoL and family socioeconomic status (response rate: 60%). Multilevel analyses were conducted using neighbourhood level, family level, and individual level data.

RESULTS

Income inequality at neighbourhood level was not associated with QoL, whereas socioeconomic deprivation was associated with environment-related QoL.

CONCLUSION

The relative income hypothesis, according to which it is the contrast in deprivation rather than the absolute level of deprivation that influences health outcomes, does not hold at the neighbourhood level. Income inequality may only have an effect in larger areas containing sufficient socioeconomic contrast.