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AIMS: Educational inequalities in self-rated health (SRH) in European welfare countries are documented, but recent trends in these inequalities are less well understood. We examined educational inequalities in SRH in different age groups, and the contribution of selected material, behavioural and psychosocial determinants from 2000 to 2008. METHODS: Data were derived from cross-sectional surveys conducted in 2000, 2004 and 2008 including 37,478, 34,876 and 32,982 respondents, respectively, aged 25-75 in mid-Sweden. Inequalities were analysed by age-standardized and age-stratified rate ratios of poor SRH and age-standardized prevalence of determinants, and contribution of determinants by age-adjusted logistic regression. RESULTS: Relative educational inequalities in SRH increased among women from 2000 (rate ratio (RR) 1.70, 95% CI 1.55-1.85) to 2008 (RR 2.07, 95% CI 1.90-2.26), but were unchanged among men (RR 1.91-2.01). The increase among women was mainly due to growing inequalities in the age group 25-34 years. In 2008, significant age differences emerged with larger inequalities in the youngest compared with the oldest age group in both genders. All determinants were more prevalent in low educational groups; the most prominent were lack of a financial buffer, smoking and low optimism. Educational differences were unchanged over the years for most determinants. In all three surveys, examined determinants together explained a substantial part of the educational inequalities in SRH. CONCLUSIONS: Increased relative educational health inequalities among women, and persisting inequalities among men, were paralleled by unchanged, large differences in material/structural, behavioural and psychosocial factors. Interventions to reduce these inequalities need to focus on early mid-life.
Asunto(s)
Autoevaluación Diagnóstica , Disparidades en el Estado de Salud , Adulto , Factores de Edad , Anciano , Estudios Transversales , Escolaridad , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Factores Sexuales , SueciaRESUMEN
AIMS: This study investigated the association between domestic work and self-rated health among women and men in the general population. METHODS: The study is based on women (N = 12,910) and men (N = 9784) aged 25-64 years, who responded to a survey questionnaire in 2008 (response rate 56%). Logistic regression models were used to assess the association adjusting for age, educational level, employment status, family status and longstanding illness. Population attributable risks (PAR) were calculated to assess the contribution of domestic work to the prevalence of suboptimal self-rated health. RESULTS: More women (29%) than men (12%) spent more than 20 hours per week in domestic work. Women also experienced domestic work more often as burdensome. Disability pensioners and single mothers reported highest levels of burdensome domestic work. There was a strong independent association between burdensome domestic work and suboptimal self-rated health both in women and men. The PAR for burdensome domestic work was 21% in women and 12% in men and comparable to other major risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that domestic work should not be omitted when considering factors that affect self-rated health in the general population.
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Autoevaluación Diagnóstica , Tareas del Hogar/estadística & datos numéricos , Determinantes Sociales de la Salud , Adulto , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , SueciaRESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: Women have in general poorer self-rated health than men. Both material and psychosocial conditions have been found to be associated with self-rated health. We investigated whether two such factors, financial insecurity and condescending treatment, could explain the difference in self-rated health between women and men. METHODS: The association between the two factors and self-rated health was investigated in a population-based sample of 35,018 respondents. The data were obtained using a postal survey questionnaire sent to a random sample of men and women aged 18-75 years in 2008. The area covers 55 municipalities in central Sweden and the overall response rate was 59%. Multinomial odds ratios for poor self-rated health were calculated adjusting for age, educational level and longstanding illness and in the final model also for financial insecurity and condescending treatment. RESULTS: The prevalence of poor self-rated health was 7.4% among women and 6.0% among men. Women reported more often financial insecurity and condescending treatment than men did. The odds ratio for poor self-rated health in relation to good self-rated health was 1.29 (95% CI: 1.17-1.42) for women compared to men when adjusted for age, educational level and longstanding illness. The association became, however, statistically non-significant when adjusted for financial insecurity and condescending treatment. CONCLUSION: The present findings suggest that women would have as good self-rated health as men if they had similar financial security as men and were not treated in a condescending manner to a larger extent than men. Longitudinal studies are, however, required to confirm this conclusion.
Asunto(s)
Disparidades en el Estado de Salud , Sexismo/estadística & datos numéricos , Adolescente , Adulto , Factores de Edad , Anciano , Estudios Transversales , Femenino , Financiación Personal/economía , Financiación Personal/estadística & datos numéricos , Encuestas Epidemiológicas , Humanos , Modelos Logísticos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Prevalencia , Autoinforme , Factores Sexuales , Sexismo/psicología , Factores Socioeconómicos , Suecia/epidemiología , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: There is a need for an expanded approach to develop knowledge of public health nursing as a sphere of public health. The aim of this paper was to construct a theoretical model for healthcare services in the area of public health nursing based on the analysis and classification of healthcare services used in public health nursing practice. METHODS: Patient records were examined using a qualitative research approach. The categorization and classification of the actions followed certain criteria. Three methods were used for verifying and modifying the concept. RESULTS: Of the identified categories 34 dealt with healthcare services, three with administrative services, and five with coordination. The six recognized domains of the healthcare services are health promotive services, health protective services, diagnostic services, therapeutic services, rehabilitation services, and terminal healthcare services. Using the public health approach, the Health promotive action and preventive action model (HPA model) was constructed in order to visualize where in the course of the process of health-ill health and developmental stages the public health nurses provide healthcare services. Health promotion and the levels of prevention are described on the operational and conceptual levels in this paper. CONCLUSIONS: The result is expected to have an important effect on how public health nurses conceptualize their field of knowledge. The classification reflects current public health policy by focusing on health promotion and illness prevention. The developed HPA model will support health service research.