scholarly journals Assessing Socioeconomic Inequality in Self-Rated Health in Four ex-Yugoslav Countries

2021 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 409-429
Author(s):  
Luka Jurković
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Social Participation ◽  
Multivariate Logistic Regression Analysis ◽  
European Social Survey ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Occupational Social Class ◽  
The Relationship

There has been a growing academic interest in explaining the well-established association between socioeconomic status and health. Among the various proposed mechanisms and pathways, social capital has been recognised as a potentially important antecedent of socioeconomic inequalities in health. However, these interrelationships remain relatively unexplored within the countries of former Yugoslavia. Therefore, this article aims to fill the gap in the literature by exploring the role of individual-level social capital in the relationship between socioeconomic status and self-rated health in four ex-Yugoslav countries. The present study is based on the data from the ninth round of the European Social Survey (2018). The author analysed the data of participants aged 25 and over from Croatia (N = 1534), Montenegro (N = 1002), Serbia (N = 1720) and Slovenia (N = 1149). In order to test the target associations, sequential multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed. The results show that occupational social class and several social capital indicators are associated with self-rated health, although independently of each other. Across all countries, unskilled and skilled manual workers and long-term unemployed individuals were more likely to report poor health compared to non-manual workers, with the exception of Montenegrin skilled manual workers and the long-term unemployed participants from Slovenia. Moreover, despite some cross-country differences in the relationship between individual levels of social capital and self-rated health, social participation was associated with self-rated health across all countries. These findings highlight the importance of encouraging social participation within these countries, which can lead to health benefits through behavioural and psychosocial mechanisms.

scholarly journals Right-wing populism and self-rated health in Europe: a multilevel analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
I Backhaus ◽  
S Kino ◽  
G La Torre ◽  
I Kawachi
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Confidence Interval ◽  
Political Ideology ◽  
European Social Survey ◽  
Poor Health ◽  
Right Wing ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Country Level ◽  
Fair Poor

Abstract Background Individuals who hew to a conservative political ideology have been previously reported to have better self-rated health compared to liberals. No studies have examined whether the correlation between right-wing ideology and health also holds for populism, a brand of politics that is gaining momentum throughout the world. We tested whether the association still holds for right-wing populists. Methods We analysed data from 24617 respondents nested within 18 European countries included in the 2016 European Social Survey. Multilevel analyses were conducted to assess the relationship between political ideology and self-rated health, adjusting for other individual covariates (happiness and social capital) and country-level characteristics (democracy type). Results Individuals who voted for right-wing populist parties were 43% more likely to report fair/poor health compared to traditional conservatives (OR = 1.43, 95% confidence interval 1.23 to 1.67). The association was attenuated after controlling for individual-level variables, including happiness and access to social capital (OR = 1.21, confidence interval 1.03 to 1.42). Higher levels of social capital (informal networks, OR = 0.40, 95% confidence interval 0.29 to 0.56; trust, OR = 0.82, 95% confidence interval 0.74 to 0.92) and happiness (OR = 0.18, 95% confidence interval 0.15 to 0.22) were protectively correlated with fair/poor self-rated health. Conclusions Individuals voting for right-wing populist parties report worse health compared to conservatives. It remains unclear whether ideology is just a marker for health-related practices, or whether the values and beliefs associated with a particular brand of ideology leads to worse health. Key messages There is a significant association between voting for right-wing populist parties and self-rated poor health. Social capital was protectively correlated with self-rated health calling for renewed attention on the effects of social capital on political ideology and health.

Right-wing populism and self-rated health in Europe: a multilevel analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 73 (12) ◽  
pp. 1116-1121
Author(s):  
Insa Backhaus ◽  
Shiho Kino ◽  
Giuseppe La Torre ◽  
Ichiro Kawachi
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Political Ideology ◽  
European Social Survey ◽  
Right Wing ◽  
Informal Networks ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Values And Beliefs ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Fair Poor

BackgroundIndividuals who identify as politically conservative have been previously shown to report better self-rated health compared with liberals. We tested whether this association still holds for right-wing populists, which are gaining strength as a political force in Europe in recent decades.MethodsWe analysed data from 24 617 respondents nested within 18 European countries included in the 2016 European Social Survey. Multilevel analyses were conducted to assess the association between political ideology and self-rated health, adjusting for other individual covariates (happiness and social capital).ResultsIndividuals who voted for right-wing populist parties were 43% more likely to report fair/poor health compared with traditional conservatives (OR=1.43, 95% CI 1.23 to 1.67). The association was attenuated (OR=1.21, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.42) after controlling for additional individual-level variables, including happiness and access to social capital. Higher levels of social capital (informal networks, OR=0.40, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.56; trust, OR=0.82, 95% CI 0.74 to 0.92) and happiness (OR=0.18, 95% CI 0.15 to 0.22) were protectively correlated with fair/poor self-rated health.ConclusionsIndividuals voting for right-wing populist parties report worse health compared with conservatives. It remains unclear whether ideology is just a marker for health-related practices, or whether the values and beliefs associated with a particular brand of ideology lead to worse health.

scholarly journals Social factors associated with reversing frailty progression in community-dwelling late-stage elderly people: An observational study

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. e0247296
Author(s):  
Katsuhiko Takatori ◽  
Daisuke Matsumoto
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Social Participation ◽  
Multiple Logistic Regression Analysis ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Baseline Survey ◽  
Subjective Age ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Complex Concept ◽  
Self Rated Health

Frailty is considered to be a complex concept based mainly on physical vulnerability, but also vulnerabilities in mental/psychological and social aspects. Frailty can be reversible with appropriate intervention; however, factors that are important in recovering from frailty have not been clarified. The aim of the present study was to identify factors that help an individual reverse frailty progression and characteristics of individuals that have recovered from frailty. Community-dwelling people aged ≥75 years who responded to the Kihon Checklist (KCL) were enrolled in the study. The KCL consists of 25 yes/no questions in 7 areas: daily-life related activities, motor functions, nutritional status, oral functions, homebound, cognitive functions, and depressed mood. The number of social activities, degree of trust in the community, degree of interaction with neighbors, and subjective age were also evaluated. Frailty was assessed based on the number of checked items: 0–3 for robust, 4–7 for pre-frailty, and ≥8 for frailty. A total of 5050 participants were included for statistical analysis. At the time of the baseline survey in 2016, 18.7% (n = 942) of respondents had frailty, and the follow-up survey showed that the recovery rate from frailty within 2 years (median 24 months) was 31.8% (n = 300). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that exercise-based social participation (odds ratio [OR] 2.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2–3.4; P<0.01) and self-rated health (OR 1.2, CI 1.0–1.5; P = 0.02) were related to reversing frailty progression. Principal component analysis indicated that the main factors constituting the first principal component (contribution rate, 18.3%) included items related to social capital, such as interaction with neighbors, trust in the community, and number of social participation activities. Our results demonstrate that exercise-based social participation and high self-rated health have associations with reversing frailty progression. Individuals that recovered from frailty are characterized by high individual-level social capital components (i.e., trust in community, interaction with neighbors, and social participation).

scholarly journals Socioeconomic Status and Long-Term Care Provision to Parents in Japan

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 725-725
Author(s):  
Yoko Ibuka ◽  
Yui Ohtsu
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Living Condition ◽  
Care Provision ◽  
Burden Of Care ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Japanese Adults ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Socioeconomic status (SES) is generating considerable interest in terms of health of individuals, but how it is associated with long-term care has not been established yet. We study the relationship between SES and long-term care provision to parents among the Japanese adults using JSTAR. We use the following six measures of SES for the analysis: income, asset, expenditure, living condition, housing condition and education. We find a greater probability of care provision to parents among those in higher SES categories for some SES measures, compared to the lowest category. However, after considering the survival probability of parents, the relationship is reversed and the probability of care provision is found to be greater among lower SES individuals. The association is more pronounced among males. The association is likely to be partly mediated by care needs of parents. These results suggest a higher burden of care disproportionately falls in low SES individuals.

scholarly journals The “Dark Side” Effects of Social Capital on Harmful Drinking among Chinese Community Residents: A Multilevel Study

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (10) ◽  
pp. 2249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xin Nie ◽  
Yongkai Zhu ◽  
Hua Fu ◽  
Junming Dai ◽  
Junling Gao
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Social Participation ◽  
Odds Ratio ◽  
Dark Side ◽  
Chinese Community ◽  
Harmful Drinking ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Social Organizations ◽  
Multilevel Study ◽  
Community Residents

Background: To determine the effects of social capital on harmful drinking (HD) among Chinese community residents using a multilevel study. Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted from 2017–2018. In total, 13,610 participants were randomly interviewed from 29 districts of 3 cities in China with a multi-stage sampling procedure. Social capital, including social cohesion, membership in social organizations, and frequency of social participation, were assessed using validated scales. HD was assessed using the CAGE four-item questionnaire. Multilevel models were developed to determine whether social capital was related to HD when socioeconomic and demographic covariates were controlled. Results: In general, the prevalence of HD was 8.18%, and more specifically, 13.77% for men and 2.74% for women. After controlling for covariates and stratifying by gender, compared to residents in the low individual-level membership of social organizations, we found that the odds ratio (OR) for HD was 1.30 with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.07–1.56 among men and 1.95 (95% CI: 1.29–2.97) among women. Compared to residents in the low individual-level frequency of social participation groups, the odds ratio of HD among women was 1.58 (95% CI: 1.10–2.26). There was no association between district-level social capital and HD. Conclusions: A high level of social capital may promote HD among the residents of Chinese neighborhoods. Intervention to modify social capital under the Chinese drinking culture may help reduce HD.

scholarly journals The effect of self-rated health, subjective socioeconomic status, social capital, and physical activity on life satisfaction: a cross-sectional study in urban western Iran

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nader Rajabi Gilan ◽  
Mehdi khezeli ◽  
Shirin Zardoshtian
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Social Capital ◽  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
College Education ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Subjective Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Self Rated Health

Abstract Background Life satisfaction is an important component in designing strategies to improve health outcomes in different groups of society. This study aimed to investigate the effect of subjective socioeconomic status (SSS), social capital (SC), self-rated health (SRH), and physical activity (PA) on life satisfaction (LS) in Iran. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted on 1187 people (643 men and 544 women) lived in five western cities in Iran. The sampling method was multistage clustering. Data collection tool was a five part questionnaire including demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status ladder, social capital scale, a question to measure physical activity, and the life satisfaction scale. Data were analyzed using independent t-test, one way ANOVA, and Ordinal Logistic Regression. Result Life satisfaction was higher in married men and women compared to single and widows (p < 0.05). Among the variables included in the main model, the significant predictors were college education (− 0.500), marriage (coefficient = 0.422), age 25–34 years (coefficient = − 0.384), SRH (coefficient = 0.477), male sex (coefficient = 0.425), SSS (coefficient = 0.373), trust (coefficient = 0.115), and belonging and empathy (coefficient = 0.064). Conclusion SRH and SSS were significant predictors of life satisfaction in west Iranian society. Being married was associated with higher LS, but college education affects LS adversely.

scholarly journals Does workplace social capital protect against long-term sickness absence? Linking workplace aggregated social capital to sickness absence registry data

2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 290-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne-Sophie K. Hansen ◽  
Ida E. H. Madsen ◽  
Sannie Vester Thorsen ◽  
Ole Melkevik ◽  
Jakob Bue Bjørner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
Sickness Absence ◽  
Collective Good ◽  
Standard Deviation Increase ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Adjusted Model ◽  
Workplace Social Capital

Aims: Most previous prospective studies have examined workplace social capital as a resource of the individual. However, literature suggests that social capital is a collective good. In the present study we examined whether a high level of workplace aggregated social capital (WASC) predicts a decreased risk of individual-level long-term sickness absence (LTSA) in Danish private sector employees. Methods: A sample of 2043 employees (aged 18–64 years, 38.5% women) from 260 Danish private-sector companies filled in a questionnaire on workplace social capital and covariates. WASC was calculated by assigning the company-averaged social capital score to all employees of each company. We derived LTSA, defined as sickness absence of more than three weeks, from a national register. We examined if WASC predicted employee LTSA using multilevel survival analyses, while excluding participants with LTSA in the three months preceding baseline. Results: We found no statistically significant association in any of the analyses. The hazard ratio for LTSA in the fully adjusted model was 0.93 (95% CI 0.77–1.13) per one standard deviation increase in WASC. When using WASC as a categorical exposure we found a statistically non-significant tendency towards a decreased risk of LTSA in employees with medium WASC (fully adjusted model: HR 0.78 (95% CI 0.48–1.27)). Post hoc analyses with workplace social capital as a resource of the individual showed similar results. Conclusions: WASC did not predict LTSA in this sample of Danish private-sector employees.

Linguistic Integration and Immigrant Health: The Longitudinal Effects of Interethnic Social Capital

2018 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 215-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mesay A. Tegegne
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Health Status ◽  
Immigrant Health ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Use ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Linguistic Integration ◽  
The Relationship

The literature on immigrant health has by and large focused on the relationship between acculturation (often measured by a shift in language use) and health outcomes, paying less attention to network processes and the implications of interethnic integration for long-term health. This study frames English-language use among immigrants in the United States as a reflection of bridging social capital that is indicative of social network diversity. Using longitudinal data on self-rated health and the incidence of chronic conditions from the New Immigrant Survey (2003, 2007), I examine the contemporaneous and longitudinal associations between interethnic social capital and health. The results show evidence for a positive long-term effect of linguistic integration on health status, but no cross-sectional associations were observed. Overall, these results highlight the possible role of network processes in linking English-language use with immigrant health and the time-dependent nature of the relationship between linguistic integration and health status.

scholarly journals The Role of Individual- and Contextual-Level Social Capital in Product Boycotting: A Multilevel Analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 949 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grzegorz Zasuwa
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Sustainable Consumption ◽  
European Social Survey ◽  
Consumer Participation ◽  
Social Rules ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Consumer Activism ◽  
Country Level ◽  
The Individual

Product boycotts represent an important form of sustainable consumption, as withholding purchasing can restrain firms from damaging the natural environment or breaking social rules. However, our understanding of consumer participation in these protests is limited. Most previous studies have focused on the psychological and economic determinants of product boycotting. Drawing on social capital literature, this study builds a framework that explains how individual- and contextual-level social capital affects consumer participation in boycotts of products. A multilevel logistic regression analysis of 29 country representative samples derived from the European Social Survey (N = 54221) shows that at the individual level product boycotting is associated with a person’s social ties, whereas at the country level, generalized trust and social networks positively affect consumer decisions to take part in these protests. These results suggest that to better understand differences among countries in consumer activism, it is necessary to consider the role of social capital as an important predictor of product boycotting.

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