Trends in self-rated health and association with socioeconomic position in Estonia: data from cross-sectional studies in 1996–2014

Abstract

BackgroundSelf-rated health (SRH) and socioeconomic position (SEP) as important determinants of health differences are associated with health and economic changes in society.The objectives of this paper were (1) to describe trends in SRH and (2) to analyze associations between SRH and SEP among adults in Estonia in 1996–2014.MethodsThe study was based on a 25–64-year-old subsample (n = 18757) of postal cross-sectional surveys conducted every second year in Estonia during 1990–2014. SRH was measured using five-point scale and was dichotomized to good and less-than-good. Standardized prevalence of SRH was calculated for each study year. Poisson regression with likelihood ratio test was performed for testing trends of SRH over study years. Age, nationality, marital status, education, work status and income were used to determine SEP. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess association between SRH and SEP.ResultsThe prevalence of dichotomized good self-rated health increased significantly over the whole study period with slight decrease in 2008–2010. Until 2002, good SRH was slightly more prevalent among men, but after that, among women. Good SRH was significantly associated with younger age, higher education and income and also with employment status among both, men and women. Good SRH was more prevalent among Estonian women and less prevalent among single men.ConclusionsThere was a definite increase of good SRH over two decades in Estonia following economic downturn between 2008 and 2010. Good SRH was associated with higher SEP over the study period. Further research is required to study the possible reasons behind increase of good SRH, and it’s association with SEP among adults in Estonia.

Trends in self-rated health among the elderly population in Germany from 1995 to 2015 – the influence of temporal change in leisure time physical activity

“…Changes in SRH were analyzed with a categorical time-and a continuous trend-variable. For computing the categorical time variable panel waves between 1995 and 2015 were classified into six consecutive time periods by taking the irregular intervals in assessing LTPA into account: (1) 1995/96/97, (2) 1998/99, (3) 2001/03, (4) 2005/07/08, (5) 2009/11 and (6) 2013/15. The continuous trend variable was coded 0 for 1995 and 1 for 2015, with the years in between getting fractional values, for example 0.05 for 1996, 0.10 for 1997 and so forth.…”

“…The compression of morbidity hypothesis originally proposed by Fries [1] stated that better health care, an active lifestyle, and advances in preventive health behavior would lead to increased active life expectancy and decreasing duration of morbidity and disability in the population. In support of this assumption several studies revealed a significant reduction in proportions of functional impairment and also increases of disability-free life expectancy and expected lifetime in good self-rated health (SRH) [2][3][4][5][6][7][8]. Pointing into the same direction, German studies reported improved SRH over time particularly in the elder population [9][10][11][12][13].…”

Socioeconomic inequalities in health during the Great Recession: A scoping review of the research literature

“…73 Third, the findings for health inequalities according to income/wealth vary somewhat between the included studies: Some indicate increased inequalities, 60,63,69,78,87,91 whereas others show stability. 75,92,95 Two studies even show decreasing health inequalities between income groups during the crisis, although the decrease is of a negative kind. 81,86 This finding is probably explained, at least partly, by health-related social mobility patterns (see the discussion above).…”

Dose-response relation of self-reported and accelerometer-measured physical activity to perceived health in middle age—the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 Study

“…Sedentary time increases in adulthood with age, and those participating in LTPA or occupational PA in early middle age are more likely to engage in LTPA as they age [20, 21]. Additionally, a connection between higher age and poorer PH has been recognized [22]. Therefore, reaching a sufficient level of PA in middle age, and maintaining this level while aging, is a key factor for healthy aging.…”