%0 Journal Article
%T Do social relations explain health inequalities? Evidence from a longitudinal survey in a changing eastern German region
%J International journal of public health
%D 2012
%A Klein, Jens
%A Vonneilich, Nico
%A Baumeister, Sebastian E.
%A Kohlmann, Thomas
%A von dem Knesebeck, Olaf
%V 57
%N 3
%P 619-627
%X OBJECTIVES: This study explores the contribution of social relations to explain inequalities in self-rated health in a changing north-eastern German region. So far, there are only few studies that analysed the mediating effects of social relations in a longitudinal design. METHODS: We used data from the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP) consisting of 3,300 randomly selected men and women at baseline (2001), and at the 5-year follow-up (2006). Indicators of social inequality were education, equivalent household income and occupational status. Social relations were estimated by the Social Integration Index (SII) and the perceived instrumental and emotional support. Self-rated general health was assessed at both waves of data collection. RESULTS: Depending on the indicators used, social relations explain up to 35% of the inequalities in self-rated health. Changes in odds ratios are slightly more pronounced when education and income are used as inequality indicator and when adjusting for the SII. CONCLUSIONS: Overall findings suggest that social relations are an important explanatory factor for health inequalities in a deprived German region.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
%G en
%I Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group
%@ 1661-8556
%U http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00038-012-0356-y