Abstract
BackgroundLinks between participating in unhealthy behaviours, e.g. smoking, and an increased risk of developing some cancers are well established. Unemployed adults are more likely to participate in cancer-related health behaviours than their employed counterparts. However, evidence of whether this is true in young adults not in education, employment or training (NEET) compared to their ‘non-NEET’ peers is either limited or inconclusive. Using cross-sectional health data from across the UK, this study aims to investigate whether participation in cancer-related health behaviours varies by NEET status.MethodsData for 16–24 year olds were extracted from the 2010–12 Health Surveys for England (HSE) and Scottish Health Surveys (SHeS). Information on economic activity in the last week was used to determine NEET status. Data on whether respondents had been seeking employment within the last four weeks and availability to start within the next two weeks allowed NEETs to be further identified as unemployed (UE) or economically inactive (EI). Logistic regression modelled the effect of being NEET on odds of being a current smoker; heavy drinker; not participating in sport; having eaten less than five portions of fruit or vegetables the day before survey interview and having an unhealthy body mass index (BMI). Analyses were performed before and after exclusion of EI NEETs.ResultsData were extracted for 4272 individuals, of which 715 (17%) were defined as NEET with 371 (52%) and 342 (48%) further classified as UE and EI respectively. Two NEETs could not be further defined as UE or EI due to missing information. Relative to non-NEETs, NEETs were significantly more likely to be current smokers, not participate in sport and have an ‘unhealthy’ BMI. These results held after adjustment for socio-demographic characteristics both before and after exclusion of EI NEETs. Before exclusion of EI NEETs, NEETs were significantly less likely to be heavy drinkers than non-NEETs. There was no significant difference in likelihood of heavy drinking between NEETs and non-NEETs when excluding EI NEETs.ConclusionsNEETs were generally at an increased risk of participating in cancer-related health behaviours than non-NEETs. As the likelihood of becoming NEET is greater in socioeconomically-disadvantaged groups, interventions to discourage unhealthy behaviours in NEETs may contribute to a reduction in health inequalities.
Highlights
Links between participating in unhealthy behaviours, e.g. smoking, and an increased risk of developing some cancers are well established
Odds ratios for heavy drinking (Table 5) demonstrated that NEETs were less likely to be heavy drinkers than non-NEETs; this decreased risk was only significant before exclusion of economically inactive (EI) NEETs (OR = 0.73, 95% Confidence interval (CI) = 0.59-0.90)
The effect was attenuated, but still significant, after excluding EI NEETs (OR = 1.54, 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) = 1.23-1.92)
Summary
Links between participating in unhealthy behaviours, e.g. smoking, and an increased risk of developing some cancers are well established. In the second quarter of 2016 there were an estimated 865,000 ‘NEETs’ in the United Kingdom (UK) [2] Research has demonstrated both medium and long-term economic effects of becoming NEET at time of school-leaving with such individuals being more likely to still be unemployed up to five years later as well as being at an increased risk of being unemployed or in a low-paid job up to ten years later [3]. Unemployment at younger ages has been demonstrated to have immediate adverse effects on health including increased rates of poorer mental wellbeing [7], depression [8] and suicidal behaviours [9] amongst those who are NEET. Limited research has shown some negative effects of unemployment at younger ages on long-term health. Functional somatic symptoms [10], chronic limiting illness [5] and psychological symptoms [11] in adulthood are all reported to be consequences of youth unemployment
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