Background Socioeconomic inequalities in health behaviors have been attributed to both structural and individual factors, but untangling the complex, dynamic pathways through which these factors influence inequalities requires more empirical research. This study examined whether and how two factors, material conditions and time orientation, sequentially impact socioeconomic inequalities in health behaviors. Methods Dutch adults 25 and older self-reported highest attained educational level, a measure of socioeconomic position (SEP); material conditions (financial strain, housing tenure, income); time orientation; health behaviors including smoking and sports participation; and health behavior-related outcomes including body mass index (BMI) and self-assessed health in three surveys (2004, 2011, 2014) of the longitudinal GLOBE (Dutch acronym for “Health and Living Conditions of the Population of Eindhoven and surroundings”) study. Two hypothesized pathways were investigated during a ten-year time period using sequential mediation analysis, an approach that enabled correct temporal ordering and control for confounders such as baseline health behavior. Results Educational level was negatively associated with BMI, positively associated with sports participation and self-assessed health, and not associated with smoking in the mediation models. For smoking, sports participation, and self-assessed health, a pathway from educational level to the outcome mediated by time orientation followed by material conditions was observed. Conclusions Time orientation followed by material conditions may play a role in determining socioeconomic inequalities in certain health behavior-related outcomes, providing empirical support for the interplay between structural and individual factors in socioeconomic inequalities in health behavior. Smoking may be determined by prior smoking behavior regardless of SEP, potentially due to its addictive nature. While intervening on time orientation in adulthood may be challenging, the results from this study suggest that policy interventions targeted at material conditions may be more effective in reducing socioeconomic inequalities in certain health behaviors when they account for time orientation.

Background Pressing issues, like financial concerns, may outweigh the importance people attach to health. This study tested whether health, compared to other life domains, was considered more important by people in high versus low socioeconomic positions, with future focus and financial strain as potential explanatory factors. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2019 among N=1,330 Dutch adults. Participants rated the importance of two health-related domains (not being ill, living a long life) and seven other life domains (e.g., work, family) on a five-point scale. A latent class analysis grouped participants in classes with similar patterns of importance ratings. Differences in class membership according to socioeconomic position (indicated by income and education) were examined using structural equation modelling, with future focus and financial strain as mediators. Results Three classes were identified, which were defined as: neutralists, who found all domains neutral or unimportant (3.5% of the sample); hedonists, who found most domains important except living a long life, work, and religion (36.2%); and maximalists, who found nearly all domains important, including both health domains (60.3%). Of the neutralists, 38% considered not being ill important, and 30% considered living a long life important. For hedonists, this was 92% and 39%, respectively, and for maximalists this was 99% and 87%, respectively. Compared to belonging to the maximalists class, a low income predicted belonging to the neutralists, and a higher educational level and unemployment predicted belonging to the hedonists. No mediation pathways via future focus or financial strain were found. Conclusions Lower income groups were less likely to consider not being ill important. Those without paid employment and those with a higher educational level were less likely to consider living a long life important. Neither future focus nor financial strain explained these inequalities. Future research should investigate socioeconomic differences in conceptualisations of health, and if inequalities in the perceived importance of health are associated with inequalities in health. To support individuals dealing with challenging circumstances in daily life, health-promoting interventions could align to the life domains perceived important to reach their target group and to prevent widening socioeconomic health inequalities.

Background Urgent daily hassles, which are more common among people with a lower socioeconomic position (SEP), might limit one’s ability to address less pressing goals, such as goals related to health promotion. Consequently, health goals may be viewed as less focal, which could jeopardize one’s health. This study examined an understudied pathway: whether a higher severity of daily hassles resulted in a lower perceived importance of health and whether these two factors sequentially mediate socioeconomic inequalities in self-assessed health (SAH) and food consumption. Methods A cross-sectional survey among 1,330 Dutch adults was conducted in 2019. Participants self-reported SEP (household income, educational level), the severity of eleven daily hassles (e.g., financial hassles, legal hassles), the perceived importance of health (not being ill, living a long life), SAH, and food consumption. Structural equation modeling was used to examine whether daily hassles and the perceived importance of health sequentially mediated income and educational inequalities in SAH, fruit and vegetable consumption (FVC) and snack consumption. Results No evidence of sequential mediation through daily hassles and the perceived importance of health was found. Daily hassles individually mediated income inequalities in SAH (indirect effect: 0.04, total effect: 0.06) and in FVC (indirect effect: 0.02, total effect: 0.09). The perceived importance of not being ill and living a long life both individually mediated educational inequalities in SAH (indirect effects: 0.01 and -0.01, respectively, total effect: 0.07). Conclusions Income inequalities in SAH and FVC were explained by daily hassles, and educational inequalities in SAH were explained by the perceived importance of health. Socioeconomic inequalities may not be sequentially explained by a more severe experience of daily hassles and a lower perceived importance of health. Interventions and policies addressing challenging circumstances associated with a low income may improve SAH and healthy food consumption among lower-income groups.

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