Wealth Lowers At Risk Of Early Stroke

Wealth lowers risk for having stroke in early ages, but after 65 the link between wealth and health weakens.

Researchers from Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, The Netherlands examined 19445 Americans aged from 50 and higher, who are already participating in 'University of Michigan Health and Retirement Study'.

The participants were involved in the study in 1992, 1993 or 1998. The participants were monitored for financial state and health every two years. In about 8.5 years 1542 of the participants suffered from stroke.

All participants were divided into 6 levels estimating person's financial assets, income and education. 10% of those in the lower level - with the lowest wealth and education - were 3 times more likely to suffer from stroke than those in the highest level between ages from 50 to 65. After 65 wealth's affect on health, particularly stroke, was weakened.

Every year about 780000 US residents are being affected by stroke and 27% of strokes occur among people below age of 65. This survey links these 27% to wealth, income and education level of younger sufferers.

The research also found that those at lower social levels have higher rates of smoking, excess weight, high blood pressure, heart disease, less exercising, and obesity. All these factors are themselves increasing the risk for stroke.

The research also suggests that those less wealthy who survive to their older ages and don't suffer from stroke are healthier than those with higher income and education, because the wealthiest ones survive mostly thanks to medications, but the poorer ones survive because they are healthy.