Health across Generations in Europe. The role of Age, Gender, and Education

Bibliographic Data

ID21822073
AuthorsMADELIN GOMEZ-LEON (0000-0003-4512-638X, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, corresponding author), Aïda Solé-Auró (0000-0003-3726-2509, Universitat Pompeu Fabra)
Year2026
Publication date2026-06-29
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Population Ageing (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1874-7876 • E-ISSN: 1874-7884
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1007/s12062-026-09572-6
OpenAlexW7166518669
LanguageEN
References cited76

Health inequalities among older adults remain a major concern in ageing European populations. While shaped by age, gender, and education, how these health inequalities evolve across generations is less clear. This study examines six European birth cohorts from age 50 to advanced old age using 18 years of longitudinal data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Poor self-perceived health (SPH) and multimorbidity (three or more chronic conditions) were analysed using multivariate logistic models. Results show health improvements among younger cohorts, and evidence of morbidity compression in midlife and early old age. Gender health gaps have narrowed across cohorts, indicating an improvement; however, educational inequalities persist, with higher-educated individuals consistently enjoying better health. These findings reveal the persistence of social inequalities, highlighting the importance of monitoring cohort-specific health trajectories, and provide evidence to support targeted health policies, educational interventions, and resource planning for Europe’s ageing populations

Ageing · Health equity · Healthy ageing · Inequality · Life course approach · Logistic regression · Longitudinal data · Longitudinal study · Multivariate analysis · Social determinants of health · Aging and Gerontology Research · Chronic Disease Management Strategies · Health disparities and outcomes

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Open DOIOpen Access