1198The gendered associations between poverty, marital status, and mental health in older Australians

Background Compared to men, older women have poorer mental health and are more vulnerable to poverty. Few studies have examined how gender, marital status and poverty are inter-related and are associated with mental health among this group. Methods Drawing on 17 waves of the Housing Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey, fixed-effects regression analysis was utilised to examine associations between: (1) relative poverty (<50% median household income) and mental health (MHI-5); (2) marital status and poverty, among Australians aged 65+years. Effect measure modification (EMM) of the association between relative poverty and mental health by marital status was also assessed. Results Relative poverty was associated with poorer mental health among women (−0.62, 95%CI−1.06,−0.18), but not men. Being divorced/separated was associated with increased odds of relative poverty for women (OR 3.93, 95%CI 2.54,6.06) but not men, and widowhood was associated with relative poverty in women (OR 4.23, 95%CI 3.37,5.29), and men (OR 2.22, 95%CI 1.62,3.05). There was no evidence of EMM of the relationship between relative poverty and mental health by marital status for either gender. Conclusions This study provides evidence that relative poverty is a major determinant of mental health in older Australian women. Addressing gender inequities in lifetime savings, as well as in division of acquired wealth post marital loss, may mitigate these disparities. Key messages A gendered double burden of mental health issues and poverty exists for older Australian women, requiring urgent policy attention.