Self-rated health and health damaging behaviour among young women in Hungary in connection with family background.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the relationship of subjective health and harmful lifestyle with familial risk factors, such as low parental educational level, parental psychiatric disorder reported by their offspring, alcohol use, and divorce.


METHODS
3615 hungarian women aged 15-24 in 1998. The questionnaire addressed socio-economic factors, physical and mental health, and health damaging behaviours.


RESULTS
Low self-rated health (OR: 2.32; Cl: 1.54-3.47; p < 0.001) or at least five health complaints (OR: 2.09; CI: 1.68-2.60; p < 0.001) were significantly more common among women with reported parental psychiatric disorder. Drug use (OR: 2.35; CI: 1.86-2.98; p < 0.001) and regular or excessive alcohol consumption (OR: 1.86; CI: 1.46-2.37) was in strongest association with parental high education.


CONCLUSIONS
Family related social problems, especially reported parental psychiatric disorders, regular alcohol consumption, and educational level, are important factors to be taken into account when planning specific interventions for young women.
Csoboth
Csilla
C
Semmelweis University, Institute of Behavioural Sciences, Budapest, Hungary. csobcsil@net.sote.hu
Szumska
Irena
I
Purebl
György
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D004243:Divorce / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary; D008432:Mathematical Computing; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology