Effects Of Social Environmental Factors Research Articles

Effects of Behavioral Risk Factors and Social-Environmental Factors on Non-Communicable Diseases in South Korea: A National Survey Approach.

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are one of the major health threats in the world. Thus, identifying the factors that influence NCDs is crucial to monitor and manage diseases. This study investigates the effects of social-environmental and behavioral risk factors on NCDs as well as the effects of social-environmental factors on behavioral risk factors using an integrated research model. This study used a dataset from the 2017 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. After filtering incomplete responses, 5462 valid responses remained. Items including one’s social-environmental factors (household income, education level, and region), behavioral factors (alcohol use, tobacco use, and physical activity), and NCDs histories were used for analyses. To develop a comprehensive index of each factor that allows comparison between different concepts, the researchers assigned scores to indicators of the factors and calculated a ratio of the scores. A series of path analyses were conducted to determine the extent of relationships among NCDs and risk factors. The results showed that social-environmental factors have notable effects on stroke, myocardial infarction, angina, diabetes, and gastric, liver, colon, lung, and thyroid cancers. The results indicate that the effects of social-environmental and behavioral risk factors on NCDs vary across the different types of diseases. The effects of social-environmental factors and behavioral risk factors significantly affected NCDs. However, the effect of social-environmental factors on behavioral risk factors was not supported. Furthermore, social-environmental factors and behavioral risk factors affect NCDs in a similar way. However, the effects of behavioral risk factors were smaller than those of social-environmental factors. The current research suggests taking a comprehensive view of risk factors to further understand the antecedents of NCDs in South Korea.

Subjective well-being of older adult internal migrants in China: The role of social environment

Social environmental factors have rarely been considered in studies exploring the subjective well-being of older adult internal migrants in China. Thus, we investigated the effects of social environmental factors on the subjective well-being of 470 internal migrants (age range = 60–87 years) living in Dongguan, China, using data collected from a survey. The results indicate that the subjective well-being of older adult internal migrants was influenced by individual attributes (marital status, employment status, pension recipient status) and social environment (perceived social support, social cohesion, distance to the closest recreation facility). Social support exerted a stronger impact on subjective well-being than did individual attributes. There was a positive relationship between subjective well-being and perceived social support (including support from family members, friends, and others). Our findings indicate that the subjective well-being of older adult migrants can be enhanced by providing more recreational spaces and community events, and ensuring policies related to social support provide appropriate neighborhood-based support.

Effects of social environmental factors on malnutrition of 0–5 y children in China's poor areas

Malnutrition remains a health concern in China among ethnic minorities. This study used data from the China Children Nutrition Surveillance Survey (6000 in 2006 and 9000 in 2007/2008) to examine how social‐environmental factors affect nutrition and subsequently, can be used to create improved programs and policies for these populations. In‐depth dietary data coupled with socio‐demographic and anthropometric measurements were obtained from the minority children. The proportion of stunting and reduced weight for height and weight for age were examined. Zhuang children had the highest underweight (31%) while stunting was the highest in Miao children (34.0%–35.8%). Mongolian children had the lowest underweight (1.2%–2.4%) and stunting (4.2%–5.5%). Both underweight and stunting were the highest in children whose parents were illiterate (20%–24% and 28%–29% respectively) and the lowest in children whose parents graduated from colleges or universities (5%–6% and 1.2%–1.4% respectively). Both rates decreased as household income increased and were higher in children whose parents worked in farms than in children whose parents were clerical staff or manager. Children cared for by grandparents were particularly vulnerable to malnutrition. This study highlights these critical economic and demographic factors and feeds into poverty control and public health programs and provides both short‐term feeding and long‐term social policy guidance.

Longitudinal Study of Social-environmental Predictors of Behavior: Children of Adolescent and Older Mothers Compared

Compared to older, more educated mothers, adolescent mothers are more prone to less than optimal parenting interactions with their children. Moreover, adolescents’ children are more likely to experience developmental challenges. In this study, effects of social-environmental factors in the first two years of life on children’s anxiety and hyperactivity from age 2 to 8 were examined by analyzing Canadian longitudinal data. Initial levels of anxiety and hyperactivity were higher for children of adolescent mothers, and anxiety increased with age for all children. Female children displayed lower initial levels of hyperactivity than males, and females of adolescent mothers showed a steeper decrease in hyperactivity while males of adolescent mothers showed a steeper increase in hyperactivity than their counterparts parented by older mothers. Parenting, social support and other demographic factors were controlled for and the effects of these predictor variables on trajectories of anxiety and hyperactivity are discussed.