Socioeconomic Inequalities in Health among Armenian Adolescents.

Armen A Torchyan,Hans Bosma

doi:10.3390/ijerph17114055

Abstract

We aimed to study the hypothesis of socioeconomic equalization in health among Armenian adolescents participating in the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children 2013/14 survey. Classes corresponding to the ages 11, 13, and 15 were selected using a clustered sampling design. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used. In a nationally representative sample of 3679 students, adolescents with a low family socioeconomic position (SEP) had greater odds of reporting less than good health (odds ratio (OR) = 2.81, 95% CI = 2.25–3.51), low psychosocial well-being (OR = 1.94, 95% CI = 1.44–2.61), or psychosomatic symptoms (OR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.07–1.56). Low levels of material well-being were associated with a higher likelihood of reporting less than good health (OR = 1.32, 95% CI = 1.06–1.65) or low psychosocial well-being (OR = 1.27, 95% CI = 1.04–1.54). The presence of both risk factors had a synergistic effect on having low psychosocial well-being (P-interaction = 0.031). Refuting the equalization hypothesis, our results indicate that low SEP might be strongly related to adolescent health in middle-income countries such as Armenia. Low material well-being also proved important, and, for further research, we hypothesized an association via decreased peer social status and compromised popularity.

Highlights

In this paper, we aimed to study the hypothesis of equalization in health among a nationally representative sample of 3679 Armenian adolescents participating in the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC)
15.4% of students reported less than good health, 35.0% had reduced psychosocial well-being, and 35.4% experienced psychosomatic symptoms during the past six months
The findings indicate that both family socioeconomic position (SEP) and material well-being had a substantial influence on all three health outcomes, except for the relationship between material well-being and psychosomatic symptoms, which was not statistically significant, but for which the odds ratio of poor health was still heightened for adolescents living in poor material circumstances

Summary

Introduction

Substantial physical, emotional, behavioral, and social developmental changes occur during this life period. These can affect adolescents’ current well-being, and impact their health outcomes in later life [1]. Adolescence is a time when most mental disorders are starting to develop and to have negative consequences in terms of poor academic achievement and risky health behaviors, such as substance abuse, violence, and poor sexual health [2]. Socioeconomically disadvantaged adolescents experience higher rates of psychosomatic symptoms, obesity, and injuries, and lower levels of life satisfaction [3]. Adolescents living in better-off families have a healthier lifestyle, lower levels of risky health behavior, and better mental health and academic performance [4]

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