Abstract
ObjectivesTo relate personality characteristics at the age of 12 to socioeconomic differences in health care use in young adulthood. And thereby examining the extent to which socioeconomic differences in the use of health care in young adulthood are based on differences in personality characteristics, independent of the (parental) socioeconomic background.MethodsPersonality of more than 13,000 Dutch 12-year old participants was related to their health and socioeconomic position after a follow-up of 13 years (when the participants had become young adults).ResultsIn young adulthood, low socioeconomic status was related to high health care use (e.g. low education -hospital admission: OR = 2.21; low income -GP costs: OR = 1.25). Odds ratios (for the socioeconomic health differences) did not decrease when controlled for personality.ConclusionsIn this Dutch sample of younger people, personality appeared not to be a driving force for socioeconomic differences in health care use. Findings thus do not support the personality-related, indirect selection perspective on the explanation of socioeconomic differences in health.
Highlights
The dominating view in social epidemiology is that socioeconomic status causes differences in material circumstances, health behaviours, and psychological attributes which in turn cause differences in health (Borell et al 2013; Mackenbach 2015; Whitehead 1998)
Researchers in the field thereby point to the understudied possibility of third factors underlying socioeconomic attainment, future health, and the association of low socioeconomic status with poor health
Policies for public health interventions can learn from such evidence, as interventions inspired by evidence on a fundamental role for personality will look different than those inspired by the view that dominates social epidemiology
Summary
The dominating view in social epidemiology is that socioeconomic status causes differences in material circumstances, health behaviours, and psychological attributes which in turn cause differences in health (Borell et al 2013; Mackenbach 2015; Whitehead 1998). Personality traits might be such underlying factors. A personality trait, such as conscientiousness, for example, has been found protective against smoking and its related diseases and it has been found predictive of long-term career success (Judge et al 1999; Mackenbach 2015; Pluess and Bartley 2014). Policies for public health interventions can learn from such evidence, as interventions inspired by evidence on a fundamental role for personality will look different than those inspired by the view that dominates social epidemiology
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