The health of women married to men in regular army service: women who cannot afford to be ill

Socioeconomic status, sense of coherence and health in Canadian women

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to explore the role of sense of coherence (SOC) in the relationship between household income and self-rated health among Canadian women. SOC is a global orientation that enables one to perceive events of the world as comprehensible, manageable, and meaningful.

METHODS

A secondary data analysis was conducted using the National Population Health Survey 1994-95. Only women between the ages of 20 and 64 (n = 6748) were selected for this study. Data were analysed using multivariate path analyses.

RESULTS

SOC is a psychosocial factor that intervenes in the income and health relationship. It did not function, however, as an interaction buffer to ameliorate the adverse effects of low income on health.

CONCLUSION

This study lends support for public health interventions that target the socioeconomic conditions that influence health, and for strategies that foster the development of a strong SOC.