A simultaneous analysis of neighbourhood and childhood socio-economic environment with self-assessed health and health-related behaviours.
Childhood socio-economic environment and neighbourhood socio-economic environment later in life are closely related. However, few studies have considered their effects simultaneously. Using cross-sectional data of approximately 8000 respondents in 86 neighbourhoods in the city of Eindhoven, The Netherlands, we study associations of both determinants with self-assessed health, smoking, alcohol consumption and overweight. Growing up in a low socio-economic environment increased the probability to live a more deprived neighbourhood in adulthood. Controlling for individual socio-economic characteristics, both childhood and neighbourhood socio-economic environment were related to smoking and overweight, but not with excessive alcohol consumption. Associations between childhood socio-economic environment and smoking and overweight are still substantial after controlling for neighbourhood socio-economic environment. Similarly, neighbourhood inequalities in smoking and overweight remain substantial after controlling for childhood socio-economic environment.
Monden
Christiaan W S
CW
Department of Social Cultural Sciences, Tilburg University, P.O. Box 90153, 5000 LE Tilburg, The Netherlands. c.w.s.monden@uvt.nl
van Lenthe
Frank J
FJ
Mackenbach
Johan P
JP
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires