Housing type, location of residence and health status in Australian baby boomers: Results from the Australian Baby Boomer (ABBA) Study

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Baby Boomers are working and living longer than their pre-war counterparts, and are more likely to live in high density urban housing. This paper examines the relationship between housing type, working status and location of residence on health status in Baby Boomers.

METHODS: We investigated location of residence and housing type in 1009 participants of the Ageing Baby Boomers in Australia (ABBA) Study to identify any predictors of, or correlations between, these variables and health status.

RESULTS: Current workers were less likely to report depression than retirees. We found a significantly higher rate of diabetes, obesity and hypertension in retirees than in current workers however rates of obesity, diabetes and hypertension were higher than predicted in current workers.

CONCLUSION: The rates of chronic disease are higher than previous estimates and provide evidence to inform health promotion programs designed to increase physical activity and improve eating habits in baby boomers.