Educational Inequalities Research Articles

Educational inequalities in cervical cancer mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Background Educational inequalities in mortality continue to persist. We aimed to systematically analyse the association between level of education and cervical cancer mortality. Methods We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis. We systematically searched Pub-Med, Web of Science, Scopus, EMBASE and Global Health (CAB), EconLit and Sociology Source Ultimate databases. A protocol has been registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023411757). We included studies that measured the association between level of education and cervical cancer mortality using individual level data. Included articles were assessed for study quality and risk of bias using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklists. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the overall and stratified effects of education on mortality. Findings Our literature search resulted in over 47,000 articles. 30 studies mentioned cervical cancer as a cause of death, and of these, 11 were eligible for the meta-analysis. Results showed an overall risk ratio of 2.41 (95% CI 1.81-3.20) for low education (ISCED 0-2) and 1.62 (95% CI 1.18-2.24) for medium education (ISCED 3-4). Those aged 25-64 with low education had more than twice the risk of cervical cancer (RR = 5.73; 95% CI 5.04-6.51) compared to those aged 25 and above (RR = 2.11; 95% CI 1.82-2.45). Besides, the impact of an additional level of education on reducing risk of cervical cancer mortality was higher in Northern Europe, compared to the South. Interpretation Lower educational attainment is associated with an increase in the risk of cervical cancer mortality, with an additional level of education greatly reducing this risk in Northern Europe. Younger cohorts with low education have a higher risk of cervical cancer mortality. This study provides important information for evidence-based policy seeking to reduce health inequities and inequalities in both the health and education sector. Key messages • Lower educational attainment is linked to a higher risk of cervical cancer mortality. • Younger cohorts (aged 25-64) with low education are at a particularly heightened risk compared to those aged 25 and above.

Educational inequalities in cervical cancer mortality in the Baltic Sea region in 2008–2015

Abstract Background Reducing inequalities in cervical cancer mortality is a public health priority. This study aims to assess the absolute and relative educational inequalities in cervical cancer mortality in the Baltic countries and Finland in 2008-2015. Methods Data for Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were obtained from longitudinal mortality follow-up studies of population censuses in 2000/2001 and 2011, and data for Finland from the longitudinal register-based population data file of Statistics Finland. Cervical cancer deaths (ICD-10 code C53) were linked from national mortality registries. Educational level was census- or registry-based. Absolute and relative educational inequalities in cervical cancer mortality were assessed in 2008-2015 for women aged 30-49 and 50-64, using age-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs) per 100 000 person-years and mortality rate ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Results This study included 1724 cervical cancer deaths and about 22 million person-years. Absolute and relative educational inequalities in cervical cancer mortality were considerably larger in the Baltic countries compared to Finland. Among 30-49-year-olds, ASMRs for high educated ranged from 0.6 (95% CI: 0.4-1.0) in Finland to 3.6 (95% CI: 2.5-5.0) in Lithuania, and for low educated from 2.2 (95% CI: 1.2-3.7) in Finland to 24.6 (95% CI: 18.2-32.4) in Lithuania. RRs for low educated compared to high educated ranged from 3.51 (95% CI: 1.57-7.68) in Finland to 9.11 (95% CI: 4.28-19.32) in Estonia. Among 50-64-year-olds, ASMRs for high educated ranged from 1.3 (95% CI: 0.8-2.0) in Finland to 9.8 (95% CI: 7.2-13.1) in Estonia and for low educated from 2.9 (95% CI: 1.9-4.1) in Finland to 43.9 (95% CI: 34.4-55.1) in Lithuania. RRs for low educated compared to high educated ranged from 2.18 (95% CI: 1.20-4.05) in Finland to 6.32 (95% CI: 4.30-9.36) in Lithuania. Conclusions Equitable prevention is a key to reducing cervical cancer mortality in the Baltic countries. Key messages • Lower-educated women largely drive high cervical cancer mortality in the Baltic countries. • Equity-focused prevention is crucial for reducing cervical cancer mortality in the Baltic countries.

Curricular innovations to address inequalities in global health education

Abstract Background Global Health education (GHE) has expanded dramatically, with new degrees and expanded competencies in medical curricula. Yet, Global Health (GH) is also going through significant reckoning and debate around inequalities in the field. GH degrees are predominantly based in high-income countries and inaccessible to most global majority students. Some suggest GH education itself contributes to reproducing inequalities in GH. Thus, both educators and policy-makers require evidence and tools to support more representative and authentic educational experiences which can adequately equip our future graduates. Objectives To present educational innovations which gesture towards responding to the stark inequalities in Global/Public Health education. These include a unique project that experiments with disrupting current power dynamics through co-design and co-delivery of a curriculum on Syrian healthcare by colleagues with lived experience, and a student-staff partnership to integrate self-reflexivity and positionality (SRP) in curricula at Imperial College London (UK). Results Qualitative data shows that the Syrian Curriculum has resulted in enhanced student experience, being consistently cited as a highlight of the curriculum, whilst alsoenhancing inclusivity for many students. SRP supplemented this by providing students with tools to engage in open, respectful discussions and critically reflect on personal biases that impact class dynamics. Conclusions These projects provide tools for educators and policy-makers across European universities to address current challenges in GH education. Nonetheless, these innovations should principally be seen as tools to reflect and advocate for fundamental changes towards more representative structures in GH. Key messages • Curriculum innovations offer key tools to address inequalities in GHE, enhancing student experience/inclusivity. • Yet, these remain limited without fundamental change towards a more representative sector.

Are health inequalities decreasing in Sweden?

Abstract Background The overarching national goal for the Swedish public health policy is to create societal conditions for good and equitable health for all and to eliminate avoidable inequalities within a generation (until 2048). To know whether we are heading towards the public health policy goal, a surveillance system which follows a combination of several inequality measures over time, is needed. Methods All-cause mortality in age 25-64 and life expectancy at age 30, in the total population of Sweden, were used as measures of health and followed 2006-2022. Education (low, middle, high) was used to measure socioeconomic position. Both absolute and relative, and both simple and complex measures were used to analyse inequalities in mortality: rate difference (RD), relative risk (RR), population attributable fraction (PAF) and population attributable number (PIN). Life expectancy was analysed as absolute and relative difference in remaining number of years. Results Life expectancy has increased and mortality in age 25-64 have decreased in the Swedish general population. Comparing those with low and high education, both absolute and relative inequalities have increased, e.g. differences in life expectancy increased to > 6 years among men and almost 7 years among women, and relative inequality in mortality in age 25-64 increased to > 3 times higher risk (RR 3.1; CI 3.0-3.3). Inequality, measured with regard to all groups in the population, showed no noticeable changes over time. Conclusions The results show that Sweden is facing a challenge in achieving the public health goal to eliminate avoidable inequalities by 2048, with regard to life expectancy and mortality in age 25-64. To use a combination of health inequality measures strengthens the surveillance system and gives a more nuanced picture of the development. It enables, in parallel with universal health improving efforts, focus on the groups with the poorest health, where efforts have the greatest effect. Key messages • Sweden is facing a challenge in achieving the public health goal to eliminate avoidable inequalities by 2048, with regard to life expectancy and mortality in age 25–64. • A more nuanced picture of inequalities is crucial to be able to parallel universal health-improving efforts with a focus on the groups with the poorest health, where efforts have the greatest effect.

“I stayed on the street, as if there was no COVID-19”: enacting practices of care with youth at risk of violence and social exclusion in Portugal

As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, a world of carelessness was made visible. Public health guidelines against the spread of COVID-19 (e.g., school closures, staying home, social distancing) have substantially affected youth’s health and well-being and highlighted the need for context-specific understandings of infection, risk, and care. Our research aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the impacts of COVID-19 on boys and girls serving educational measures and placed in the custody of the juvenile justice system in Portugal during the pandemic. Sustained by the use of ethnographic principles and methods along with participatory techniques, this article uncovers complex entanglements between the public health measures to mitigate contagion and the dynamics that exacerbated socio-spatial dynamics of social exclusion and isolation, educational and (mental) health inequities, and lived and practiced forms of violence by youth-serving tutelary measures in Portugal’s six educational centers. Following Tronto’s feminist ethical–political proposal of care, I argue that COVID-19 became a lens to access youth care needs — self-care, care for others, care as essential work of nurturing affective trajectories and solidarities and promoting positive and non-violent relationships. By caring for youth stories, the engagement of researchers and professionals in this action-oriented research aimed to promote the enactment of practices of care with youth in the Portuguese detention centers as a way to positively affect their inhabited present, promote healthier lives and nurture the construction of caring and non-violent post-pandemic futures.

Socioeconomic inequalities in cervical cancer screening in sub-Saharan Africa: Decomposition analysis

Abstract Background Cervical cancer remains prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Despite global efforts to eliminate this disease, its incidence continues to rise due to barriers in screening, vaccination, and treatment access. While studies address access barriers, little has explored inequality, often limited to single countries. Here, we examine socioeconomic inequalities in cervical cancer screening in SSA. Methods Data from the Demographic and Health Surveys of 10 SSA countries was used for the analysis. We stratified the study by wealth index and educational attainment as a measure of socioeconomic status. Socioeconomic status inequalities in cervical cancer screening were constructed using concentration curves. We then computed the concentration index to quantify socioeconomic inequality. To examine the factors associated with high socioeconomic inequality in cervical cancer screening, a decomposition analysis was conducted. Results Concentration curves showed screening uptake skewed towards the wealthy and educated across all countries, reflected by positive concentration indices (CIX=0.21; p-value<0.0001) except in Burkina Faso and Mauritius. Decomposition analysis revealed significant positive concentration indices for women with complete secondary (CIX=0.74) and higher education (CIX=0.91), those in the richest wealth index (CIX=0.35), separated women (CIX=0.08), currently working women (CIX=0.02), as well as those who were exposed to reading newspaper/magazine (CIX=0.19), listening to radio (CIX=0.10), and watching TV (CIX=0.44). Conclusions Cervical cancer screening in SSA exhibits pro-rich and pro-higher educational inequalities. Urgent interventions are needed to restructure existing screening programs to prioritize accessibility and inclusion, particularly for women from poorer households and with a lower level of education. These findings are vital for policymakers and public health practitioners to address cervical cancer screening disparities in SSA. Key messages • Addressing socioeconomic inequalities in cervical cancer screening is crucial for improving public health in sub-Saharan Africa. • Combatting socioeconomic disparities in cervical cancer screening is critical for achieving health equity in sub-Saharan Africa.

The Influence of Artificial Intelligence on the Education System

The rapid development of artificial intelligence has had a huge and far-reaching impact on the field of education. The deep integration of artificial intelligence and education has promoted the emergence and development of artificial intelligence educational applications. Today's AI is not only a tool to enhance the learning experience, but also an important promoter of changing traditional teaching models and educational management methods. This article explores the acceptance and views of AI in different cultural backgrounds, and deeply analyzes the ethical issues that may arise in the application of AI in education, such as academic misconduct, algorithmic bias, and data privacy protection. Studies have shown that AI can help improve the personalization and efficiency of education, but its widespread use may cause students to rely on technology and weaken their critical thinking ability. In addition, if the bias in the algorithm is not effectively controlled, it may exacerbate inequality in education. The significance of the paper lies in providing theoretical support for the combination of AI and education, and putting forward constructive suggestions for balancing technological progress and human education elements in the future.

A Comparison Between Chinese and American Education Models Based on Case Study of Education Assistance in China and Inclusive Education in the United States

Abstract: Educational inequity has always been an issue that needs to be addressed in every country. However, due to the differences in social backgrounds and educational systems, the approaches taken by China and the United States are not the same. This study compares the differences in education between China and the United States through the research methods of case study and literature review, based on the study of the policies and programs of China and the United States to address this issue. China's educational assistance has narrowed the urban-rural education gap in a short period of time, and there is instability in teaching resources. Teachers' teaching skills need to be improved and educational resources optimized to ensure that the benefits of educational assistance are maximized. In the United States, inclusive education aims to ensure that all children have equal access to education, but there are still problems in practice, and there is a need to strengthen the protection of minorities so as to ensure a balanced allocation of teaching resources.

Studying technical sciences without borders: We use the navigator for open educational resources. Part 1. The Russian experience

Introduction. The introduction of information and communication technologies into learning processes expands the possibilities of using information resources and becomes one of the priorities of the transforming higher education system. These changes are reflected in the trends in the development and application of open educational resources. However, the scale and fragmentation of data on the Internet, as well as the lack of open educational resources standards, makes the information retrieval process a difficult task and requires professional skills.Purpose setting. To determine the relevance and prospects for the development of sectoral open educational resources, it is necessary to analyze their role in the modern educational system. It is important to identify the possibilities of using open access research in technical sciences as one of the tools to eliminate social inequality in higher education. To identify and present arguments for the purpose of justifying the need to develop an industry-specific «Navigator on OER of Technical Sciences» (hereinafter referred to as the «Navigator»).Methodology and methods of the study. The research methodology covers the study and analysis of scientific papers devoted to the development of tools and initiatives in the field of open educational resources in technical sciences both in Russia and abroad. This study is also based on the method of oral questioning of students, postgraduates and teachers of technical disciplines at universities in Novosibirsk. Results. An array of scientific literature and web resources has been studied, providing free access to scientific and educational information in the field of research under consideration. Taking into account empirical data, the necessity of developing a «Navigator» on open educational resources in the system of higher technical education is justified (http://lib-os.ru/issledovatelyam/resursy/obrazovatelnye- resursy/navigator-oor-techn-nauk/).Conclusion. The study of technical sciences using open educational resources contributes to the effective improvement of professional level and allows you to be aware of current solutions to innovative activities in the field of knowledge under consideration.

The Rural and Urban China Education Disparities

Abstract: In the last decades, education in China has significantly developed and the majority of Chinese young generations are literate. While the exponential growth in urban adult literacy is a testament to the success of the compulsory education system, it is crucial to acknowledge that rural education has been left behind and marginalized in China. This research delves into the urgent issue of rural education inequality in China. The paper thoroughly investigates the current education problems in rural regions and proposes a solution by adjusting faculty distribution and implementing a national central platform for artificial intelligence classrooms (AIC). These measures aim to address the pressing concern, optimize funding usage, and mitigate inequality in education resources to prevent the urban-rural gap from widening. It is important to note that while implementing these proposals is yet to be completed, this paper provides a theoretical examination of the existing issues. Based on the findings, the study proposes a theoretical AIC model for making a social change of education.

Music Education Inequality: A Case Study in Zhejiang

Abstract: This article describes the inequality distribution of music education resources in Zhejiang Province, such as the difference in music classroom facilities and music teaching equipment, and makes a statistical analysis of the data. Zhejiang Province has a high level of economic development compare with other Chinese provinces and the music facilities in the urban areas are great. Compared with rural schools, students in the urban area have more music learning opportunities and resources. However, for students in rural areas, the venues and conditions for music activities are limited, and it is difficult to meet the needs of students' music education requirements, so their level of music training is relatively low. Based on the differences between urban and rural schools in Jiaxing and Haining cities in Zhejiang Province, the essay describes that there are certain differences between urban and rural schools. Urban schools have more perfect facilities and equipment, and they can invest a lot of money in education, while rural schools are relatively backward in facilities and lack of educational resources.

Resistance for Disrupting Inequities and Fostering Social Justice in Nursing: A Discussion.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a conceptual overview of resistance and argue for the need to embrace resistance as a part of nurses' professional repertoire for disrupting inequities and fostering social justice in both nursing education and practice. Discursive article. Published peer reviewed literature on 'resistance' and 'professional resistance' in nursing, medicine, social work and other allied health care professions. Enhancing critical consciousness and engaging in intersectional collaboration are promising strategies to embrace resistance for collective action towards disrupting inequities and injustices in nursing education and practice. Embracing and legitimising resistance in everyday individual and social interactions in educational and practice settings is instrumental to fostering social justice in nursing. Without resistance, nurses may risk jeopardising enactment of moral and ethical responsibilities and suppressing their professional values of caring and compassion. Nurses can embrace resistance in practice to counteract social injustice and promote diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging and antiracism in clinical and educational settings. Research demonstrated that perceived and real inequities and injustices are common in nursing in the form of individual and structural racism, sex and gender discrimination, power imbalances and incivility. Nurses' engagement in resistance and increased capacity to resist injustices and incivilities can play an instrumental role in disrupting professional inequities in clinical practice and education. There was no patient or public involvement in the design or writing of this discursive article.

Adaptive educational expectations: How do parental educational expectations respond to child academic performance in various family contexts?

Parental educational expectations are well-studied in sociology of education and social stratification and mobility, but most literature conceptualizes these expectations as static or considers how they change only at key educational junctures such as educational transitions. Whether parental educational expectations adapt to child academic performance more generally, and what might be the key theoretical components in adaptation, are not well-conceptualized or tested. To address these limitations, we posit and test the concept of adaptive educational expectations. Our concept encompasses three key propositions: adaptability – parental expectations adapt to child academic performance; relative responsiveness – the adaptive response of parental expectations to child performance is larger in magnitude than the responsiveness of child performance to parental expectations; and heterogeneity – the adaptability of parental expectations varies across family contexts. We test the concept using the case of China, the largest education system in the world, with analyses of longitudinal data from the China Education Panel Survey. Findings show that parental expectations are more adaptive to child performance in low-SES families than in high-SES families and in rural areas than in nonrural areas, but there is no difference in adaptability by child gender and sibship size. These findings indicate that the adaptation of educational expectations is more shaped by socioeconomic circumstances than family demographics. Furthermore, the use of this concept reveals a hidden form of educational inequality that prior literature often neglects: compared with high-SES parents, low-SES parents not only hold lower educational expectations but are more likely to decrease their expectations when child academic performance declines, which further reduces their educational involvement. These findings illustrate the relevance of all three features of the adaptive educational expectations concept.

Empowering Futures: The Impact of Cultural, Social, and Economic Disparities on Girls' Education in Jhelum, Pakistan

Gender inequality poses a challenge to the educational participation of teenage-girls in Jhelum Pakistan. This paper seeks to examine the complex factors underpinning and the extensive effects of gender inequalities in education within this area. The present study details various causes of gender inequalities as analyzed from a qualitative content analysis of various works, which include economic factors, social-cultural beliefs and practices; early marriage, lack of awareness, physical facilities, and gender biases. This study finds that all these factors work together to exclude girls from education and maintain poverty and non-advancement of socio-economic status. Finally, the discussion highlights the need to establish various strategies to address gender inequality, such as; community sensitization, increasing the percentage of girls education, finances, establishing safe school structures, and favorable laws on gender. The solution to these recommendations would help Jhelum move towards the right direction for giving teenage-girls equal education opportunities and better community.

No one is going to rock up and tell you! How a hidden blend of family capitals facilitates access to and success in structured instrumental music education in Ireland

ABSTRACT While the dominant orthodoxy within the field of educational research tends to document educational inequalities, it often fails to name the key drivers of advantage. By reflecting on core concepts of Bourdieu this article seeks to name the complex blend of parental capitals that enable access to and success in structured, extra-curricular activities (ECA) such as instrumental and vocal music education (IME). Besides the intrinsic benefits of IME, the article points to a particular extrinsic benefit that is unique to Ireland, in that performance is one of the essential activities on the Leaving Certificate (LC) music syllabus. This is important as it has implications for universal equality of access and opportunity. The research draws data from selected interviews conducted with mothers whose children were engaged in structured IME. In highlighting the often hidden and taken for granted capitals needed for IME access, the research also raises the issue of intra-class differences which can and do impact on outcome when navigating the structured IME market in Ireland. It also seeks to operate as a springboard for a set of broader theoretical arguments and highlights the role of institutional demands and material forces when considering the power of family capitals in this context.

Beyond disability. Are culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students overrepresented in the Spanish special education system? An intersectional data-based approach / Más allá de la discapacidad. ¿El alumnado con diversidad cultural y lingüística (DCL) está sobrerrepresentado en el sistema español de educación especial? Un enfoque interseccional basado en datos

In this paper, we use the concept of intersectionality to explore the situation of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students attending special education units or schools in Spain from 2009 to 2019. Using the general Spanish student population as our reference group, we calculate the relative risk index for CLD students in special education. In addition to revealing clear equity gaps, the results also indicate that gender intensifies both oppression and nationality effects, pointing to the existence of a mutable structure of inequality that has a stronger effect on male students from non-European countries, particularly Pakistan and the Dominican Republic. We conclude that educational trends, which remained unchanged during the years comprising the study period, reveal the historicity of educational inequality, confirming its structural, multifaceted and intersectional nature. As a possible means of overcoming the barriers faced by foreign students, we propose a reorganization of the conceptual framework of inclusion from an intersectional perspective.

Teaching for Social Justice: How Educators Address Inequalities in STEM Education

Inequalities in STEM education remain a persistent issue, disproportionately affecting underrepresented groups, including women, minorities, and low-income students. This study aims to explore how educators address these inequalities through social justice frameworks in their teaching practices. Grounded in theories of culturally relevant pedagogy and critical pedagogy, the research investigates the role of teachers as key agents in promoting equity in STEM classrooms. A systematic literature review was conducted, drawing from case studies, academic articles, and policy reports, focusing on strategies that educators use to create more inclusive and supportive learning environments. The findings reveal that educators utilize a range of methods, such as differentiated instruction, inclusive curriculum design, and culturally responsive teaching, to address disparities in STEM education. However, significant challenges, including limited resources and inconsistent institutional support, hinder full implementation. This paper highlights the importance of teacher agency and the need for professional development programs that equip educators to better address social justice in STEM education. It contributes to existing literature by providing a comprehensive analysis of best practices while identifying gaps in research on long-term impacts and global applicability.

Changes in Alcohol Intake by Educational Level among Older Men and Women in Spain during the 21st Century

Abstract Background and objectives Despite alcohol use being very common in older adults, studies are scarce and suggest alcohol use may be increasing. Furthermore, despite the known relationship between education and alcohol consumption, there is limited evidence of educational differences in older adults. Our objective was to describe trends in alcohol consumption in individuals aged ≥65 by sex and educational level in Spain. Research design and methods 43,157 participants aged ≥65 years were drawn from Spain’s national health surveys between 2001-2020, representing the non-institutionalized population. The outcomes were various measures of self-reported past-year alcohol intake. Age-standardized rates and negative binomial regression models were used to examine trends and differences in alcohol intake by educational level, sex, and period (2001-2009 vs. 2011-2020). Results The average daily alcohol intake and prevalence of heavy average drinking (>20/10 g/day) decreased over time, especially among men, while moderate average drinking remained unchanged or even increased. Alcohol intake increased with increasing educational levels. All drinking measures showed educational inequalities, and these were greater in women than men. The mean amount of drinking showed the greatest inequality, with and adjusted prevalence ratio of 2.6 in women and 1.1 in men between university relative to primary education level. Discussion and implications Alcohol intake in older adults decreased over time in Spain for heavy average drinking and average drinking amount, although not for moderate average drinking. Consumption remains highest among the highest educational levels, which may negatively affect health. Programs addressing alcohol consumption among older adults are needed to minimize alcohol-related harm.

Conditioned by the system: student selection and parental involvement in high school admissions in Taiwan

Studies using cross-country comparisons argue that the benefits of parental involvement depend on the educational setting in which it exists. However, contextual and cultural differences likely transcend the differences observed across educational systems. Instead, this study compares the educational advantages of parents’ school-based involvement across different admissions systems in a single society. I draw on the case of Taiwan, where high schools select students through both applications and exams. The findings show that parental involvement is positively associated with children’s high school placements in both admissions systems. However, students with privileged class backgrounds reap greater rewards from parental involvement in the application system than those in the exam system. The marginal effects of parental involvement in applications systems are also considerably stronger than those in exam systems. The results of direct comparisons illustrate that institutional settings critically shape the benefits students accrue from parental involvement. Conceptualizing parental involvement as a measure of cultural capital, this study highlights educational systems’ role in conditioning how cultural capital contributes to educational inequality.

Understanding educational inequalities in sports participation through structurally based resources and individual agency - a sequential mediation analysis.

Educational inequalities in sports participation remain a public health issue in the Netherlands. Combining structurally based resources from Pierre Bourdieu's theory of capital with Amartya Sen's conceptualization of individual agency may offer new insights into the complex mechanisms that drive these inequalities. Specifically, we posited that the way individuals are able to exercise their agency within the structurally based economic, social, and cultural resources they have access to may help explain educational inequalities in sports participation.Data from two waves of the GLOBE study (2014, 2021) were used to test whether two sequential mediators, structurally based resources followed by individual agency, help explain the relationship between educational level and sports participation. Adults aged 25 and older residing in Eindhoven, the Netherlands self-reported highest attained educational level, structurally based resources (economic, social, and embodied cultural capital), individual agency (self-control, perceived choice, and reflexivity), and sports participation. A sequential mediation analysis using structural equation modelling was used to test the direct effect of education on sports participation, the sequential indirect effect through both mediators, and partial indirect effects through each mediator individually.Educational level was positively associated with sports participation. The hypothesized sequential mediation pathway was not supported; educational level was positively associated with structurally based resources and structurally based resources were positively associated with individual agency, but individual agency was not related to sports participation. Though not through individual agency, structurally based resources helped explain educational inequalities in sports participation.Having access to more economic, social, and cultural resources may empower individuals by increasing their agency. This increased agency was not associated with sports participation, which could be because sports participation is not universally valued as a goal. The conceptualization and operationalization of individual agency in the context of sports participation warrants more research. We found that structurally based resources helped explain a substantial portion of educational inequalities in sport, so we propose that policies alleviating more than just economic barriers to sports participation, but also social and cultural barriers, may help reduce educational inequalities in sports participation in the Netherlands.