What explains the socioeconomic status gap in activity? Educational differences in determinants of physical activity and screentime
Abstract Background Designing evidence-based interventions to address socioeconomic disparities in health and health behaviours requires a better understanding of the specific explanatory mechanisms. We aimed to investigate a comprehensive range of potential theoretical mediators of physical activit...
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doaj-12205a0bb45e4eb1a971a42215028ab32020-11-24T21:50:58ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582017-02-0117111510.1186/s12889-016-3880-5What explains the socioeconomic status gap in activity? Educational differences in determinants of physical activity and screentimeNelli Hankonen0Matti T. J. Heino1Emilia Kujala2Sini-Tuuli Hynynen3Pilvikki Absetz4Vera Araújo-Soares5Katja Borodulin6Ari Haukkala7Department of Social Research, University of HelsinkiDepartment of Social Research, University of HelsinkiDepartment of Social Research, University of HelsinkiDepartment of Social Research, University of HelsinkiSchool of Health Sciences, University of TampereInstitute of Health and Society, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle UniversityNational Institute for Health and WelfareDepartment of Social Research, University of HelsinkiAbstract Background Designing evidence-based interventions to address socioeconomic disparities in health and health behaviours requires a better understanding of the specific explanatory mechanisms. We aimed to investigate a comprehensive range of potential theoretical mediators of physical activity (PA) and screen time in different socioeconomic status (SES) groups: a high SES group of high school students, and a low SES group of vocational school students. The COM-B system, including the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF), was used as a heuristic framework to synthesise different theoretical determinants in this exploratory study. Methods Finnish vocational and high school students (N = 659) aged 16–19, responded to a survey assessing psychological, social and environmental determinants of activity (PA and screen time). These determinants are mappable into the COM-B domains: capability, opportunity and motivation. The outcome measures were validated self-report measures for PA and screen time. The statistical analyses included a bootstrapping-based mediation procedure. Results Regarding PA, there were SES differences in all of the COM-B domains. For example, vocational school students reported using less self-monitoring of PA, weaker injunctive norms to engage in regular PA, and fewer intentions than high school students. Mediation analyses identified potential mediators of the SES-PA relationship in all of three domains: The most important candidates included self-monitoring (CI95 for b: 0.19–0.47), identity (0.04–0.25) and material resources available (0.01–0.16). However, SES was not related to most determinants of screentime, where there were mainly gender differences. Most determinants were similarly related with both behaviours in both SES groups, indicating no major moderation effect of SES on these relationships. Conclusions This study revealed that already in the first years of educational differentiation, levels of key PA determinants differ, contributing to socioeconomic differences in PA. The analyses identified the strongest mediators of the SES-PA association, but additional investigation utilising longitudinal and experimental designs are needed. This study demonstrates the usefulness of combining constructs from various theoretical approaches to better understand the role of distinct mechanisms that underpin socioeconomic health behaviour disparities.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-016-3880-5Socioeconomic statusAdolescentsPhysical activityScreen timeSedentary behaviourTheoretical determinants |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Nelli Hankonen Matti T. J. Heino Emilia Kujala Sini-Tuuli Hynynen Pilvikki Absetz Vera Araújo-Soares Katja Borodulin Ari Haukkala |
spellingShingle |
Nelli Hankonen Matti T. J. Heino Emilia Kujala Sini-Tuuli Hynynen Pilvikki Absetz Vera Araújo-Soares Katja Borodulin Ari Haukkala What explains the socioeconomic status gap in activity? Educational differences in determinants of physical activity and screentime BMC Public Health Socioeconomic status Adolescents Physical activity Screen time Sedentary behaviour Theoretical determinants |
author_facet |
Nelli Hankonen Matti T. J. Heino Emilia Kujala Sini-Tuuli Hynynen Pilvikki Absetz Vera Araújo-Soares Katja Borodulin Ari Haukkala |
author_sort |
Nelli Hankonen |
title |
What explains the socioeconomic status gap in activity? Educational differences in determinants of physical activity and screentime |
title_short |
What explains the socioeconomic status gap in activity? Educational differences in determinants of physical activity and screentime |
title_full |
What explains the socioeconomic status gap in activity? Educational differences in determinants of physical activity and screentime |
title_fullStr |
What explains the socioeconomic status gap in activity? Educational differences in determinants of physical activity and screentime |
title_full_unstemmed |
What explains the socioeconomic status gap in activity? Educational differences in determinants of physical activity and screentime |
title_sort |
what explains the socioeconomic status gap in activity? educational differences in determinants of physical activity and screentime |
publisher |
BMC |
series |
BMC Public Health |
issn |
1471-2458 |
publishDate |
2017-02-01 |
description |
Abstract Background Designing evidence-based interventions to address socioeconomic disparities in health and health behaviours requires a better understanding of the specific explanatory mechanisms. We aimed to investigate a comprehensive range of potential theoretical mediators of physical activity (PA) and screen time in different socioeconomic status (SES) groups: a high SES group of high school students, and a low SES group of vocational school students. The COM-B system, including the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF), was used as a heuristic framework to synthesise different theoretical determinants in this exploratory study. Methods Finnish vocational and high school students (N = 659) aged 16–19, responded to a survey assessing psychological, social and environmental determinants of activity (PA and screen time). These determinants are mappable into the COM-B domains: capability, opportunity and motivation. The outcome measures were validated self-report measures for PA and screen time. The statistical analyses included a bootstrapping-based mediation procedure. Results Regarding PA, there were SES differences in all of the COM-B domains. For example, vocational school students reported using less self-monitoring of PA, weaker injunctive norms to engage in regular PA, and fewer intentions than high school students. Mediation analyses identified potential mediators of the SES-PA relationship in all of three domains: The most important candidates included self-monitoring (CI95 for b: 0.19–0.47), identity (0.04–0.25) and material resources available (0.01–0.16). However, SES was not related to most determinants of screentime, where there were mainly gender differences. Most determinants were similarly related with both behaviours in both SES groups, indicating no major moderation effect of SES on these relationships. Conclusions This study revealed that already in the first years of educational differentiation, levels of key PA determinants differ, contributing to socioeconomic differences in PA. The analyses identified the strongest mediators of the SES-PA association, but additional investigation utilising longitudinal and experimental designs are needed. This study demonstrates the usefulness of combining constructs from various theoretical approaches to better understand the role of distinct mechanisms that underpin socioeconomic health behaviour disparities. |
topic |
Socioeconomic status Adolescents Physical activity Screen time Sedentary behaviour Theoretical determinants |
url |
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-016-3880-5 |
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