Abstract
The objective of this study was to analyze inequalities in active aging indicators according to race/skin color, level of education, income, and possession of health insurance among 986 older people who participated in the 2014/15 Campinas Health Survey. We estimated the prevalence of participation in 11 activity domains using Poisson regression. The findings reveal similar levels of participation among white and black people in all the domains of the social dimension. The prevalence of work-related physical activity was higher among black people (14.1% compared to 8.2% in white people) and the prevalence of internet use was higher among white people (PR = 2.11). The prevalence of participation in leisure time physical activity, internet use, courses, and in all domains of the social dimension except attendance at religious services was higher among respondents in the highest educational and income groups and among those with health insurance. The findings reveal that older people with a higher income and higher level of education are more likely to participate in activities associated with better health and well-being. The study also shows that older people place a significant demand on Brazil’s public health system since individuals who depend exclusively on public health services tend to participate less in activities that are shown to promote health benefits.
Key words:
Social inequality; Disparities in health status; Aging; Older people