Subjective Social Status as a Predictor of Physical and Mental Health among Early Midlife Adults in the United States: Appraising the Role of Gender

Abstract

Literature indicates that subjective social status (SSS) is a robust predictor of health outcomes net of objective social status (OSS). However, research that has considered gender in the relationship between SSS and health is limited. Using 2016–2018 data from the Wave V biomarker sample of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, we investigate the relationship between SSS and two health outcomes—allostatic load and depressive symptoms—and the moderating role of gender in these relationships among a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults (ages 33–44 years) ( n = 5,269). We find that SSS is inversely associated with both allostatic load and depressive symptoms, net of OSS. Moreover, we find that gender significantly moderates the SSS-allostatic load relationship but not the SSS-depressive symptoms relationship. Specifically, SSS has a greater impact on allostatic load among women than men. Future research should explore the underlying psychosocial mechanisms that contribute to these gender differences.