Socioeconomic position and physical activity among women in Melbourne, Australia: Does the use of different socioeconomic indicators matter?

Verity Cleland, Kylie Ball and David Crawford

Social Science & Medicine, 2012, vol. 74, issue 10, 1578-1583

Abstract: This study aimed to identify which indicators of socioeconomic position (SEP) are independently associated with leisure-time physical activity among women. In 2005, women (n = 1166; 18–65 years) from Melbourne, Australia, reported their own (education, occupation, income), their partner's (education, occupation), their household (home ownership, ability to cope with income), and their neighbourhood (area-level) SEP, and leisure-time physical activity. Multinomial logistic regression examined associations between SEP indicators and leisure-time physical activity categorized as: none (no min/week; reference group), insufficient (1–149 min/week), and sufficient (≥150 min/week). In the fully adjusted model, lower education, lower partner's education (where applicable), and non-home ownership were independently associated with between 33% and 50% lower odds of sufficient physical activity, while lower income and lower area-level SEP were associated with 40% lower odds of insufficient physical activity. Understandings of socioeconomic inequalities in physical activity among women may be enhanced if a range of SEP indicators are used, particularly education, partner's education and home ownership.

Keywords: Indicators; Exercise behaviour; Adult females; Leisure-time; Disadvantage; Inequality; Australia; Socioeconomic position (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:socmed:v:74:y:2012:i:10:p:1578-1583

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DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2012.01.031

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