Effect of subjective and objective socioeconomic status on physical health, mental health, and well-being

We investigated the independent and interactive effects of subjective socioeconomic status and objective socioeconomic status on physical health, mental health, and well-being. We collected questionnaires from 276 adults in China. Results showed that subjective socioeconomic status and objective socioeconomic status were positively related to mental health, physical health, and well-being. In addition, there was an interactive effect of subjective socioeconomic status and objective socioeconomic status on well-being. These findings provide a deeper understanding of the mechanisms by which socioeconomic status affects health and well-being and suggest that we should begin to improve people’s well-being by looking at individual socioeconomic status.