Relative index of inequality

The relative index of inequality (RII) is a regression-based index which summarizes the magnitude of socio-economic status (SES) as a source of inequalities in health. RII is useful because it takes into account the size of the population and the relative diadvantage experienced by different groups.

Interpretation of RII

The interpretation of RII is similar to the relative risk. It summarizes the relative risk for the most advantaged group (at the top of the hierarchy) compared to the least advantaged group (at the bottom of the hierarchy). This interpretation assumes that the variables have been scored so that higher scores are consistent with increased risk. For example, an RII of 1.88 (95% confidence intervals 1.27 to 2.77), an indicator of low SES, on the risk of long term illness, implies that those in the most deprived group are 1.88 times more likely to experience illness than those in the least deprived group.



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