Education,income, occupational status and health risk behaviour |
| |
Authors: | Marc Nocon Thomas Keil Stefan N Willich |
| |
Institution: | (1) Institute for Social Medicine, Epidemiology, and Health Economics, Charité University Medical Centre, 10098 Berlin, Germany |
| |
Abstract: | Aim Socio-economic status is associated with a variety of health-related behaviours. In our study, we determined the independent
effects of income, educational attainment and occupational status on overweight, smoking and physical activity in the German
population.
Subjects and methods The German National Health Interview and Examination Survey is a representative sample of the German adult population and
includes 7,124 men and women. Prevalences of obesity, smoking and physical inactivity stratified for education, income and
occupational status were calculated. Multiple logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratios (OR) and 95%
confidence intervals (CI) for education, income, occupational status and health-related behaviour, adjusted for age and gender.
Results Health risk behaviours were more prevalent in subjects with lower education, income or occupational status. After mutual adjustment,
education, income and occupation were independently associated with physical inactivity. Low education was strongly associated
with both obesity (OR: 2.58, 95% CI: 1.99–3.34) and smoking (OR: 2.09, 95% CI: 1.71–2.54). Low income was associated with
smoking (OR: 1.40, 95% CI: 1.07–1.83), but not with obesity, and low occupational status was associated with obesity (OR:
1.42, 95% CI: 1.05–1.92), but not with smoking. High income or occupation could not compensate for the impact of low education
on obesity and smoking.
Conclusion Low socio-economic status is associated with health risk behaviours. Concerning obesity and smoking, education was more important
than income or occupational status. Public health programmes to reduce these risk factors should focus on early-life health
education. |
| |
Keywords: | Socio-economic status Smoking Obesity Physical activity |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|