Associations of relative deprivation with self-rated health and health-related quality of life: mediating role of subjective social status

Objectives: Relative deprivation has been linked to various adverse health outcomes. However, the po-tential mediating factors in the association between relative deprivation and health outcomes remain unclear. This study aimed to (1) examine the association between relative deprivation and self-rated health and health-related quality of life among the working-age population in Taiwan and (2) investi-gate the mediating effect of subjective social status.Study design: Cross-sectional study using nationally representative data.Methods: Data were obtained from the 2022 Taiwan Social Change Survey conducted from September 2021 to April 2022. We analyzed 1108 participants aged 25-64 years. Relative deprivation was measured using the Yitzhaki Index based on individual monthly income from all sources. Health-related quality of life was assessed using the 12-item Short Form Health Survey.Results: After adjusting for all covariates and absolute income, least-squares regression models indicated a negative association between the Yitzhaki Index and self-rated health, as well as the physical and mental components of health-related quality of life. Furthermore, subjective social status partially me-diates the association between relative income deprivation and poorer self-rated health and health -related quality of life.Conclusions: The findings support the psychosocial effect of the relative deprivation measure, empha-sizing the importance of addressing relative deprivation to improve health-related quality of life among the working-age population.& COPY; 2023 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.