CGPH FACULTY: Lia Fernald
DATE OF PUBLICATION: November 2014
REGION: Latin America
REFERENCE: Landefeld JC, Burmaster KB, Rehkopf DH, Syme SL, Lahiff M, Adler-Milstein S, Fernald LC. The association between a living wage and subjective social status and self-rated health: a quasi-experimental study in the Dominican Republic. Soc Sci Med. 2014 Nov;121:91-7. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.09.051. Epub 2014 Sep 28.
SUMMARY/ABSTRACT: Poverty, both absolute and relative, is associated with poorer health. This is of particular concern in middle- and low-income countries facing a significant and growing burden of disease. There has been limited research specifically on whether interventions that increase income may foster better health outcomes. The establishment of a “living wage” apparel factory in the Dominican Republic provided a minimum income standard for factory workers, thus creating a natural experiment through which to study the effects of increased income on health indicators. The primary component of the intervention was a 350% wage increase, but apparel workers in the intervention factory also received education and professional development and were exposed to an enhanced occupational health and safety program. Results showed that receiving a 350% higher wage was associated with substantially higher subjective social status scores, as well as higher global and comparative self-rated health scores; effects were strongest in women. Subjective social status and self-rated health are associated with future health outcomes, so these results indicate that income increases for apparel workers may have positive long-term health outcomes, particularly for women.
ACCESS: Link to Pubmed