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Cited by 196Health disparities and outcomesPublic Health and Social InequalitiesIntergenerational and Educational Inequality Studies

Does childhood socioeconomic status influence adult health through behavioural factors?

Open access
van de Mheen, H·1998·International Journal of Epidemiology
DOI 10.1093/ije/27.3.431
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to assess to what extent the effect of childhood socioeconomic status on adult health could be explained by a higher prevalence of unhealthy behaviour among those with lower childhood socioeconomic status. METHODS: Data were obtained from the baseline of a prospective cohort study in the Netherlands (13 854 respondents, aged between 25 and 74). Childhood socioeconomic group was indicated by occupation of the father, and adult health was indicated by perceived general health, health complaints and mortality. Adult socioeconomic status was measured by current occupation. Behavioural factors were smoking, alcohol consumption, Body Mass Index and physical activity. Relations were analysed using logistic regression models. RESULTS: A clear association between childhood socioeconomic circumstances and adult health was shown, as well as an association between childhood socioeconomic circumstances and health-related behaviour, even after adjustment for current socioeconomic status. Physical activity shows the strongest relation with childhood socioeconomic circumstances. Behavioural factors explain the relation between childhood socioeconomic status and adult health for approximately 10%. CONCLUSIONS: Childhood socioeconomic circumstances have an independent effect on adult health and health-related behaviour: the risk of health problems and health damaging behaviour is higher in lower childhood socioeconomic groups. The independent effect of childhood circumstances on adult health operates for a small part through unhealthy behaviour.

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  • Causes of socio-economic health inequalities are multiple and complex and include individual factors, structural factors, unequal distribution of risk factors, and inequalities in accessibility of health care.

    “The causes are multiple and complex and include individual factors such as personal history (e.g.childhood SES and living conditions) and education, structural factors such as income and housing facilities, unequal distribution of risk factors in the population and inequalities in the accessibility of health care.(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)”

    From Socio-economic status of the patient and doctor–patient communication: does it make a difference? (2005) · cites this paper as [7]

    The Discussion reports that childhood socioeconomic circumstances affect adult health and health-related behaviour, while behaviour explains only about 10% of the health differences studied. It also considers cumulative disadvantage and other pathways. The paper does not support the full list of causes in the citing sentence, particularly unequal access to health care and housing facilities. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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  1. ' Townsend P, Davidson N. Inequalities in Health. The Black Report Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 1982
  2. Colley JRT, Douglas JWB, Reid DD. Respiratory disease in young adults: influence of early childhood lower respiratory tract illness, social dass, air pollution, and smoking. Br Med J 1973,111:195-98.
  3. Lynch JW, Kaplan GA, Cohen RD el al. Childhood and adult sorio- economic status as predictors of mortality in Finland. Lancet 1994, 343:524-27
  4. Forsdahl A. Living conditions in childhood and subsequent develop- ment of risk factors for arteriosderotic heart disease. J Epidemiol Community Health 1978;32:34-37.
  5. Taylor SE. Health Psychology. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1991, pp.51-75
  6. Blane D, Hart CL, Davey Smith G, Gillis CR, Hole DJ, Hawthorne VM. Assodation of cardiovascular disease risk factors with sodoeconomic position during childhood and during adulthood. Br Med J 1996; 313: 1434-38.
  7. Enkson R, Goldthorpe JH, Portocarero L. Intergenerational dass mobility and the convergence thesis: England, France and Sweden. BrJ Soriol 1983:34:303-42.
  8. Mheen H van de, Stronks K, Looman CWN, Mackenbach JP The role of childhood health in the explanation of sodo-economic health inequalities in early adult life. J Epidemiol Community Health, In press, 1998
  9. Ranchor AV. Social dass, psychosocial factors and disease: from de- scription towards explanation. Gronlngen: Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, 1994 [dissertation |

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Authors
van de Mheen, H.
Venue
International Journal of Epidemiology
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published
1998-06-01
Volume
27
Issue
3
Pages
431-437
ISSN
  • 0300-5771 (ISSN-L)
  • 1464-3685
DOI
10.1093/ije/27.3.431
OpenAlex
W2150013548
Cited by
196
References
25
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2022: 4 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 6
FWCI
5.66
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • International Journal of Epidemiology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Pure Amsterdam UMC (publishedVersion)
  • EUR Research Repository (Erasmus University Rotterdam) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
  • EUR Research Repository (Erasmus University Rotterdam) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • RePub (Erasmus University Rotterdam) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
  • Social Sciences › Health › Public Health and Social Inequalities
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Intergenerational and Educational Inequality Studies
Keywords
childhood socioeconomic status, adult health, health behavior, smoking, alcohol consumption, body mass index, physical activity, general health perception, health complaints, mortality, father's occupation
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Child, Female, Health Education, Humans, Life Style, Male, Middle Aged, Netherlands, Prospective Studies, Socioeconomic Factors, Cohort Studies, Health Behavior

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