5 Results from core models
The core models provide a convenient base to analyse the association between health and wealth. As the regressions were run using the natural logarithm of wealth as the dependent variable, interpreting the coefficients is not straight-forward.
Positive coefficients imply the descriptor has a beneficial effect on wealth; negative coefficients imply a detrimental effect. Owing to the potential difficulty of interpreting the coefficients, marginal effects have been calculated. Full regression output (coefficients, standard errors and confidence intervals) can be found in the appendices.
To give context to the results that follow it is useful to have an idea of the marginal effects of the control variables from the core models. Ageing from about 42 to 47 is associated with an increase in wealth of $19,420 in core model one and $15,250 in core model two. In core model one, being of Māori or of Pacific Island descent is associated with having $31,670 and $62,490 less net wealth respectively than an individual of European descent. The difference between males and females is statistically significant, with males reporting $7,230 to $9,200 less net wealth than females. Receiving a non-health benefit is associated with having $12,960 less net wealth than those who do not receive any income from a government benefit. See Appendix A, Appendix Table 3 for a complete list of the marginal effects.
Certain control variables were frequently redundant in the core models. Geographic region, having children over five years and having previously been a smoker were frequently not significant at the 1% level.
