Abstract
The study investigates the health effects of subjective class position stratified by objective social position. Four types
of subjective class were analysed separately for individuals with manual or non-manual occupational background. The cross-sectional
analysis is based on the Swedish Level-of-Living Survey from 2000 and includes 4,139 individuals. The dataset comprises information
on perceived class affinity and occupational position that was combined to conduct logistic regression models on self-rated
health. An inverse relationship between self-rated health and the eight combinations of objective and subjective social position
was found. Lower socio-economic position was associated with poor health. The largest adverse health effects were found for
lower subjective social position in combination with lower occupational position. When the covariates education, father’s
occupational position and income were added to the model, adverse effects on health remained only for females. Subjective
social position helps to explain health inequalities. Substantial gender differences were found. It can be assumed that subjective
class position captures a wide range of perceived inequalities and therefore complements the measure of occupational position.
of subjective class were analysed separately for individuals with manual or non-manual occupational background. The cross-sectional
analysis is based on the Swedish Level-of-Living Survey from 2000 and includes 4,139 individuals. The dataset comprises information
on perceived class affinity and occupational position that was combined to conduct logistic regression models on self-rated
health. An inverse relationship between self-rated health and the eight combinations of objective and subjective social position
was found. Lower socio-economic position was associated with poor health. The largest adverse health effects were found for
lower subjective social position in combination with lower occupational position. When the covariates education, father’s
occupational position and income were added to the model, adverse effects on health remained only for females. Subjective
social position helps to explain health inequalities. Substantial gender differences were found. It can be assumed that subjective
class position captures a wide range of perceived inequalities and therefore complements the measure of occupational position.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-13
- DOI 10.1007/s11205-011-9988-1
- Authors
- Alexander Miething, CHESS—Centre for Health Equity Studies, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
- Journal Social Indicators Research
- Online ISSN 1573-0921
- Print ISSN 0303-8300