Economic inequality and mental health in older adults: Exploring new dimensions of economic well-being

Table 1 Framework of economic inequality and mental health outcomes in aging populations

Key dimension	Core concept	Mental health implication	Policy implication
Objective economic indicators	Income, employment, and poverty levels	Linked to depression, anxiety, and stress	Expand employment support and poverty alleviation for older adults
Net worth	Assets minus liabilities (long-term financial stability)	Lower net worth chronic stress, insecurity	Promote savings incentives, asset-building policies
Welfare benefits	Access to public support (e.g., social security, pensions)	Strong systems reduce psychological distress	Improve coverage, reduce bureaucratic barriers
Subjective economic well-being	Personal perception of financial adequacy and future security	High satisfaction better life satisfaction and mental resilience	Promote financial literacy and counseling
Augmented economic well-being	Combined view of net worth, welfare access, and subjective financial perception	More holistic, accurate predictor of mental health than income alone	Design cross-disciplinary interventions (economic, psychological, public health)
Cultural and social context	Personal values and background affect perception of financial security	Disparities in perceived well-being despite similar objective resources	Tailor programs to cultural and social backgrounds