The Role of Guaranteed Income in Healthy Aging: Canadian Public Pensions and their Association with Objective Health Measures

Abstract

Old Age Security (OAS) represents an intervention through which income-related inequalities in health may be improved. The goal of this study was to investigate the allostatic load (AL) of older adults in Canada by level of financial security and OAS receipt. Using national data, ordered logistic regression measured associations between individual income-related variables, financial security, and allostatic load. The relationship between allostatic load and receiving OAS by level of financial security was assessed on average and across its distribution. Financially insecure older adults were significantly more likely to have worse AL compared to the financially secure. However, financially insecure older adults receiving OAS as highest personal income source were significantly more likely to have better AL compared to other financially insecure older adults. While longitudinal data is required to study potential causal effects, these results imply OAS may play a role improving health outcomes and narrowing income-related health inequalities.