Publication related to RSI or an RSI staff member

Health risk perceptions as mediators of socioeconomic differentials in health behaviour.

Differentials in health status and behaviour by socioeconomic status (SES) constitute a scientific and policy challenge. In this article, data from a national survey on Canadians’ perceptions of population health risks were analysed to determine whether various types of health risk perceptions mediated SES differentials in health behaviour. As expected, health behaviours and risk perceptions both varied with SES. Results suggested a mediating role of health risk perceptions-particularly those of a social nature-in the association between SES and smoking. Findings underscore the importance of improving the social environment to fostering better lifestyle and health among disadvantaged individuals.

Authors

  • Lee, Jennifer E C, Lee JE, Institute of Population Health, University of Ottawa, ON, Canada. jeclee@tricolour.queensu.ca

  • Lemyre, Louise, Lemyre L,

  • Turner, Michelle C, Turner MC,

  • Orpana, Heather M, Orpana HM,

  • Krewski, Daniel, Krewski D,

YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 2008
SOURCE: J Health Psychol. 2008 Nov;13(8):1082-91. doi: 10.1177/1359105308095962.
JOURNAL TITLE ABBREVIATION: J Health Psychol
JOURNAL TITLE: Journal of health psychology
ISSN: 1359-1053 (Print) 1359-1053 (Linking)
VOLUME: 13
ISSUE: 8
PAGES: 1082-91
PLACE OF PUBLICATION: England
ABSTRACT:
Differentials in health status and behaviour by socioeconomic status (SES) constitute a scientific and policy challenge. In this article, data from a national survey on Canadians' perceptions of population health risks were analysed to determine whether various types of health risk perceptions mediated SES differentials in health behaviour. As expected, health behaviours and risk perceptions both varied with SES. Results suggested a mediating role of health risk perceptions-particularly those of a social nature-in the association between SES and smoking. Findings underscore the importance of improving the social environment to fostering better lifestyle and health among disadvantaged individuals.
LANGUAGE: eng
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 2008 Nov
DATE COMPLETED: 20090203
DATE REVISED: 20081106
MESH DATE: 2009/02/04 09:00
EDAT: 2008/11/07 09:00
STATUS: MEDLINE
PUBLICATION STATUS: ppublish
LOCATION IDENTIFIER: 10.1177/1359105308095962 [doi]
OWNER: NLM

Related RSI Experts

Daniel Krewski

Chief Risk Scientist

Dr. Daniel Krewski is Chief Risk Scientist and co-founder of Risk Sciences International (RSI), a firm established in 2006 to bring evidence-based, multidisciplinary expertise to the challenge of understanding, managing, and communicating risk. As RSI’s inaugural CEO and long-time scientific...
Read More about Daniel Krewski