Abstract
BackgroundTo assess the association of income-related social mobility between the age of 13 and 30 years on health-related quality of life among young adults.MethodsIn 1988-89 n = 7,673 South Australian school children aged 13 years were sampled with n = 4,604 children (60.0%) and n = 4,476 parents (58.3%) returning questionnaires. In 2005-06 n = 632 baseline study participants responded (43.0% of those traced and living in Adelaide).ResultsMultivariate regressions adjusting for sex, tooth brushing and smoking status at age 30 showed that compared to upwardly mobile persons social disadvantage was associated (p < 0.05) with more oral health impact (Coeff = 5.5), lower EQ-VAS health state (Coeff = -5.8), and worse satisfaction with life scores (Coeff = -3.5) at age 30 years, while downward mobility was also associated with lower satisfaction with life scores (Coeff = -1.3).ConclusionsStable income-related socioeconomic disadvantage was associated with more oral health impact, and lower health state and life satisfaction, while being downwardly mobile was associated with lower life satisfaction at age 30 years. Persons who were upwardly mobile were similar in health outcomes to stable advantaged persons.
Highlights
To assess the association of income-related social mobility between the age of 13 and 30 years on health-related quality of life among young adults
Compared to the reference category of upwardly mobile persons those in the stable social disadvantage group had (p < 0.05) more oral health impact (Coeff = 5.5), lower EuroQol visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS) (Coeff = -5.8), and worse satisfaction with life scores (Coeff = -3.5) at age 30 years, while downward mobility was associated with lower satisfaction with life scores (Coeff = -1.3)
This study showed that socioeconomic status (SES) disadvantage as measured by income was associated with more oral health impact, worse general health and lower satisfaction with life
Summary
To assess the association of income-related social mobility between the age of 13 and 30 years on health-related quality of life among young adults. Exploration of social determinants of health have considered theoretical approaches including life-course analysis [1]. Life-course explanations of health inequalities have looked at the interrelations of materialist, behavioural and psychosocial factors [2], and at how determinants of health across the life-course may affect disease risk [3]. Life-course models of how determinants of health across the life-course may affect disease risk have included critical periods, accumulation of risk, and social mobility [3]. Social mobility models classify change in socioeconomic status (SES) over time into upwardly or downwardly mobile categories as well as stable SES for some people over their life-course [4]. Cohort studies of oral health have shown socioeconomic trajectories to be related to adult oral health, with the poorest oral health among
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