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Socioeconomic Inequalities in Health Through Lifestyles: Analysing Gender and Age Differences in Andalusia, Spain

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Abstract

This research aims to analyse the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and self-rated health (SRH) through its relationship with lifestyle factors, as well as examining these effects stratified by gender and age groups. A cross-sectional study was performed with a representative sample from Andalusia (Southern Spain) composed of 1200 adults. The study analysed several variables related to lifestyle (healthy diet, physical activity and tobacco and alcohol consumption) and SES (education and income), along with SRH. The joint effects of SRH and the set of variables were studied by using a hierarchical linear regression analysis. Later a path analysis was carried out to test the impact of gender and age group on these associations. The results show that a better SRH was reported by men with lower age, higher SES, more frequent physical activity, healthy diet, and lower alcohol use compared with their counterparts. Income was directly related to better SRH through more physical activity, a healthier diet and less alcohol consumption. SES had a greater positive relationship with women’s health than with men’s health. In addition, a greater explained variance in SRH was observed in older women based on SES and lifestyle factors. Our findings provide some cross-sectional evidence of the social inequalities in health mediated through lifestyle factors, with gender and age differences. Therefore, socioeconomic inequalities should be addressed by public and social policies considering the gender and age gaps.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge the support of the IMPACT-A research group: Gloria Martínez Cousinou, Eider Muniategui Azkona, Auxiliadora Gonzalez Portillo, Luis Salvador Carulla, María Isabel Serrano Macías, Victor Suárez Lledó, Juan Ángel Bellón Saameño, Patricia Moreno Peral, Emma Motrico Martínez, Carlos García Alonso, Carmen Merchán Hernández and José Almenara Barrios.

Funding

Funding for the project ‘Socioeconomic Determinants of Health in Andalusia: Studying the Impact of the Economic Crisis on Andalusian Health’ (IMPACT- A) was provided by Centro de Estudios Andaluces, Junta de Andalucia, Spain (Grant No. PRY120/14). JAG was subsidised by the Ramon & Cajal programme operated by the Ministry of Economy and Business (RYC-2016- 19353), and the European Social Fund.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social, Developmental and Educational Psychology, Universidad de Huelva, Avda. Fuerzas Armadas s/n., 21007, Huelva, Spain

    Diego Gomez-Baya

  2. Department of Quantitative Methods, Universidad Loyola Andalucía, Seville, Spain

    Jose A. Salinas-Perez

  3. Centre for Mental Health Research, Research School of Population Health, College of Health & Medicine, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia

    Jose A. Salinas-Perez

  4. Department of Quantitative Methods, Universidad Loyola Andalucía, Córdoba, Spain

    Maria Luisa Rodero-Cosano

  5. Department of Biomedicine, Biotechnology and Public Health, University of Cadiz, Cádiz, Spain

    Javier Alvarez-Galvez

Authors
  1. Diego Gomez-Baya
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  2. Jose A. Salinas-Perez
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  3. Maria Luisa Rodero-Cosano
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  4. Javier Alvarez-Galvez
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Contributions

DGB designed the study in collaboration with JAG. JAG and JASP reviewed the bibliography. DGB and MLRC prepared the dataset and carried out the statistical analyses. All the authors analysed and interpreted the results. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Diego Gomez-Baya.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest, no financial interest nor benefit from the direct application of this research. This research complied with all the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and obtained approval from the university ethics board. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Gomez-Baya, D., Salinas-Perez, J.A., Rodero-Cosano, M.L. et al. Socioeconomic Inequalities in Health Through Lifestyles: Analysing Gender and Age Differences in Andalusia, Spain. J Community Health 45, 836–845 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-020-00800-4

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