The association between allostatic load and guaranteed annual income using the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging: A cross-sectional analysis of the benefits of guaranteed public pensions.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Old Age Security (OAS) represents an public policy through which income-related inequalities in health may be improved. The goal of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the health benefits of receiving OAS in financially insecure older Canadians. METHODS: Using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) (n=15,691), ordered logistic regression was used to measure associations between financial insecurity and allostatic load. RESULTS: Receiving OAS as highest personal income source appeared to remove the health penalty of being financially insecure. While financial insecurity was associated with worse allostatic load in both males and females not receiving OAS, those receiving OAS as highest personal income source had better allostatic load compared to other financially insecure older adults (ORM 0.398, 95 % CI 0.227, 0.696; ORF 0.677, 95 % CI 0.483, 0.949). DISCUSSION: While longitudinal data would be needed to draw causal inferences, these results suggest OAS may play a role improving health outcomes and narrowing income-related health inequalities. Such findings may have important implications on older adults, other vulnerable populations, and future directions of Canadian health and public policy.