title: Perceived classism and its relation with socioeconomic status, health, health behaviours and perceived inferiority: the Dutch Longitudinal Internet Studies for the Social Sciences (LISS) panel.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Classism might be the downside of the prevailing ideologies of individual responsibility for success. However, since studies into perceived classism have mainly been qualitative, little is known about its association with socioeconomic status, health, health behaviours and perceived inferiority, especially in more egalitarian countries. This study, therefore, examined the associations of perceived classism with socioeconomic status, health, health behaviours and perceived inferiority.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used cross-sectional data (2012/2013) from the Dutch Longitudinal Internet Studies for the Social Sciences (LISS) (n = 1540; age 16-90; 46.9 % men).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that classism was perceived by 18.2 % of the participants, with the lowest income and occupation group most likely to perceive classism (22.0 and 27.5 %, respectively). Perceived classism was significantly associated with poor health (e.g. self-rated health OR = 2.44, 95 % CI = 1.76-3.38) and feelings of inferiority (e.g. shame OR = 4.64, 95 % CI = 3.08-6.98). No significant associations were found with health behaviours.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To further examine the role of perceived classism for socioeconomic differences in health and its association with country-level socioeconomic inequalities, prevailing ideologies, and objective opportunities for social mobility, we recommend more longitudinal and international studies with comparable measures of perceived classism.
authors: Department of Social Medicine, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands. audrey.simons@maastrichtuniversity.nl.
authors: Audrey M W
authors: AMW
authors: Simons
authors: Department of Social Medicine, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors: Annemarie
authors: A
authors: Koster
authors: Department of Social Medicine, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors: Daniëlle A I
authors: DAI
authors: Groffen
authors: Department of Social Medicine, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors: Hans
authors: H
authors: Bosma
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D012923:Social Class; D012942:Social Sciences; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Inferiority; Meritocratic ideology; Perceived classism; Self-rated health; Socioeconomic status; The Netherlands