<p>An increasing number of health problems in the population and an uneven distribution of health between different groups in the society, have been identified as a problems and has therefore been put on the political agenda in Sweden. Thus, the purpose of this thesis is to estimate and discuss the significance an individual’s behaviour, in a number of areas, has on his/her level of health.</p><p>The empirical material for this thesis is taken from a nationwide inquiry conducted in 2004,which was called “Hälsa på lika villkor?” (Health on equal terms?) The material used consists of the answers and records from individuals living in the administrative district of Kronoberg. 9972 individuals were included in the sample and the answering frequency was 63,2%. To map and analyse the material, which was done mainly through crosstabs, chi-square tests and logistic regressions, the statistics software SPSS 11.5 was used.</p><p>The parameter used to measure the health level is the individual’s own perception of his or her general health. The estimated health levels “very good” and “good” are referred to as good health, while the health levels “reasonable”, “bad” or “very bad” are put into a category named inferior health. The thesis is limited by putting the main focus on the differences in health between groups divided by three different factors: gender, country of birth and socioeconomic belonging. An analysis of the material shows that men have better health than women, civil servants have better health than all the others and individuals that are born in Europe but outside the Nordic countries have significantly worse health than others.</p><p>Grossman’s theory on the demand for health is used to identify factors that affect the relationship between behaviour and health. The so called environmental factors influence the gross effect, and the depreciation rate the net effect, of certain behaviour. Education, sleep and stress are identified as environmental factors, and age, BMI and the work environment are shown to affect the depreciation rate of health capital. The level of stress a certain individual experience is a factor that has a particular strong connection with the increased probability of experiencing an inferior health.</p><p>Everyday smoking and a sedentary spare time distinctively increases the risk of a lower health level. In addition, the inclination to refrain from using professional health care, even though you believe you need it, increases the risk of inferior health. The results don’t give the same strong evidence for a connection between the health level and the everyday consumption of snuff or the risk consumption of alcohol, but they still indicate that both these factors are associated with an increased risk for inferior health. However, no connection between the eating habits, in this investigation indicated by the consumption of fruit and vegetables, and the self estimated general health, could be found.</p><p>The concluding analysis show that the differences in health within groups differentiated between socioeconomic belonging mainly can be explained by differences in health related behaviour. This, when factors, which according to the theory affects the connection between behaviour and health, have been considered. The differences in health between men and women, and between individuals born in Europe but outside the Nordic countries and others, can to some, but considerably lesser extent, be explained by the differences in the healthrelated behaviour.</p>

<p><strong><em>Syfte och frågeställningar</em></strong></p><p>Syftet med studien är att undersöka om det finns fysiska hälsoskillnader mellan barn som bor i innerstaden jämfört med barn som bor i förorten. Frågeställningarna lyder:</p><p>Vilka skillnader finns i fysisk aktivitetsgrad mellan barn som bor i innerstaden och barn som bor i förorten, och vilka medicinska hälsoskillnader finns mellan barn som bor i innerstaden och barn som bor i förort. Vår hypotes är att barn som bor i förorten utsätts för färre hälsorisker och får mer hälsomässigt positiv stimulans än barn som bor i innerstaden och därmed får förortsbarnen en bättre fysisk hälsa.</p><p> </p><p><strong><em>Metod</em></strong></p><p>Studiens är utförd som en jämförande analytisk studie. Vi jämförde två grupper av barn som lever i olika miljöer i Stockholm, förort eller innerstad. Vi genomförde en enkätundersökning för att kunna samla in en stor mängd data under en begränsad tidsperiod. Vi använder oss av beprövade enkätfrågor från GIH:s forskningsprojekt Skola – Idrott – Hälsa riktade mot barn. Undersökningen genomfördes på 227 elever i årskurs 5 på fem skolor, tre i förort och två i innerstad. Vi har valt ut skolor i upptagningsområden som inte har alltför stora variationer i inkomstnivåer. Det främsta som skiljer skolorna åt är deras fysiska närmiljö, huvudsakligen tillgång till grönområden och luftkvalitet.</p><p> </p><p><strong><em>Resultat</em></strong></p><p>Studien visade att andelen barn som på fritiden är fysiskt aktiva med ledare i innerstaden är 73 %, i förorten 85 %. Andel barn som på fritiden är fysiskt aktiva utan ledare i är innerstad 54 %, i förorten 79 %. Förekomsten av allergi mot luftburna allergen är i innerstaden 22 % och motsvarande värde i förorten är 12 %. Resultaten för astma är i innerstaden 11 % jämfört med 5 % i förorten. I övrigt var skillnaderna små eller obefintliga.</p><p> </p><p><strong><em>Slutsats</em></strong></p><p>Det finns vissa hälsoskillnader mellan de förorts- och innerstadsbarn som deltagit i vår undersökning. Skillnaden ligger i hur fysiskt aktiva barnen är, särskilt när det kommer till spontant idrottsutövande. Detta borde på sikt bidra till en positiv hälsoeffekt och bättre hälsa. Det finns även anledning att tro att förortsmiljön skyddar mot utveckling av astma och allergi.</p> / <p><strong><em>Aims</em></strong><strong><em> </em></strong>The purpose of this study is to examine whether there are physical health disparities between children who live in the inner city compared with children living in the suburbs. Questions: How much difference is there in how physically active children are in the inner city compared to suburbs and what medical health disparities exist between children living in the inner city and children living in the suburbs? Our hypothesis is that suburban children suffer less negative health risks and may get more positive health stimulus than inner city children and thus the suburban children have a better physical health.</p><p><strong><em>Method </em></strong>The design of this study is a comparative analytical study; we compare two different groups of schoolchildren in Stockholm, Sweden who are exposed to different conditions. We have chosen to conduct surveys that allow us to collect a large amount of data in a limited period of time. The survey was conducted on 227 fifth grade students at five schools, three in suburban areas and two in the inner city. We have selected schools in areas that do not have excessive differences in income levels. The primary factor that distinguishes the schools is their surrounding environment, mainly air quality and access to green spaces.</p><p><strong><em>Results </em></strong>The study showed that the percentage of children who are physically active in their leisure time with the leaders is 73% in the inner city and 85% in the suburbs. The percentage of children who are physically active in their leisure time without leaders is 54% in the inner city and 79% in the suburbs. The prevalence of allergy is in the inner city is 22%, the equivalent value in the suburbs is 12%. Corresponding results for asthma in the inner city is 11%, the equivalent value in the suburbs is 5%. Otherwise, the differences were small or nonexistent.</p><p><strong><em>Conclusion </em></strong>There are health disparities between the suburban and inner city children who participated in our survey. The difference lies in how physically active children are, especially when it comes to spontaneous physical activity. There is also reason to believe that the suburban environment prevents development of asthma and allergy.</p>

An increasing number of health problems in the population and an uneven distribution of health between different groups in the society, have been identified as a problems and has therefore been put on the political agenda in Sweden. Thus, the purpose of this thesis is to estimate and discuss the significance an individual’s behaviour, in a number of areas, has on his/her level of health. The empirical material for this thesis is taken from a nationwide inquiry conducted in 2004,which was called “Hälsa på lika villkor?” (Health on equal terms?) The material used consists of the answers and records from individuals living in the administrative district of Kronoberg. 9972 individuals were included in the sample and the answering frequency was 63,2%. To map and analyse the material, which was done mainly through crosstabs, chi-square tests and logistic regressions, the statistics software SPSS 11.5 was used. The parameter used to measure the health level is the individual’s own perception of his or her general health. The estimated health levels “very good” and “good” are referred to as good health, while the health levels “reasonable”, “bad” or “very bad” are put into a category named inferior health. The thesis is limited by putting the main focus on the differences in health between groups divided by three different factors: gender, country of birth and socioeconomic belonging. An analysis of the material shows that men have better health than women, civil servants have better health than all the others and individuals that are born in Europe but outside the Nordic countries have significantly worse health than others. Grossman’s theory on the demand for health is used to identify factors that affect the relationship between behaviour and health. The so called environmental factors influence the gross effect, and the depreciation rate the net effect, of certain behaviour. Education, sleep and stress are identified as environmental factors, and age, BMI and the work environment are shown to affect the depreciation rate of health capital. The level of stress a certain individual experience is a factor that has a particular strong connection with the increased probability of experiencing an inferior health. Everyday smoking and a sedentary spare time distinctively increases the risk of a lower health level. In addition, the inclination to refrain from using professional health care, even though you believe you need it, increases the risk of inferior health. The results don’t give the same strong evidence for a connection between the health level and the everyday consumption of snuff or the risk consumption of alcohol, but they still indicate that both these factors are associated with an increased risk for inferior health. However, no connection between the eating habits, in this investigation indicated by the consumption of fruit and vegetables, and the self estimated general health, could be found. The concluding analysis show that the differences in health within groups differentiated between socioeconomic belonging mainly can be explained by differences in health related behaviour. This, when factors, which according to the theory affects the connection between behaviour and health, have been considered. The differences in health between men and women, and between individuals born in Europe but outside the Nordic countries and others, can to some, but considerably lesser extent, be explained by the differences in the healthrelated behaviour.

Syfte och frågeställningar Syftet med studien är att undersöka om det finns fysiska hälsoskillnader mellan barn som bor i innerstaden jämfört med barn som bor i förorten. Frågeställningarna lyder: Vilka skillnader finns i fysisk aktivitetsgrad mellan barn som bor i innerstaden och barn som bor i förorten, och vilka medicinska hälsoskillnader finns mellan barn som bor i innerstaden och barn som bor i förort. Vår hypotes är att barn som bor i förorten utsätts för färre hälsorisker och får mer hälsomässigt positiv stimulans än barn som bor i innerstaden och därmed får förortsbarnen en bättre fysisk hälsa.   Metod Studiens är utförd som en jämförande analytisk studie. Vi jämförde två grupper av barn som lever i olika miljöer i Stockholm, förort eller innerstad. Vi genomförde en enkätundersökning för att kunna samla in en stor mängd data under en begränsad tidsperiod. Vi använder oss av beprövade enkätfrågor från GIH:s forskningsprojekt Skola – Idrott – Hälsa riktade mot barn. Undersökningen genomfördes på 227 elever i årskurs 5 på fem skolor, tre i förort och två i innerstad. Vi har valt ut skolor i upptagningsområden som inte har alltför stora variationer i inkomstnivåer. Det främsta som skiljer skolorna åt är deras fysiska närmiljö, huvudsakligen tillgång till grönområden och luftkvalitet.   Resultat Studien visade att andelen barn som på fritiden är fysiskt aktiva med ledare i innerstaden är 73 %, i förorten 85 %. Andel barn som på fritiden är fysiskt aktiva utan ledare i är innerstad 54 %, i förorten 79 %. Förekomsten av allergi mot luftburna allergen är i innerstaden 22 % och motsvarande värde i förorten är 12 %. Resultaten för astma är i innerstaden 11 % jämfört med 5 % i förorten. I övrigt var skillnaderna små eller obefintliga.   Slutsats Det finns vissa hälsoskillnader mellan de förorts- och innerstadsbarn som deltagit i vår undersökning. Skillnaden ligger i hur fysiskt aktiva barnen är, särskilt när det kommer till spontant idrottsutövande. Detta borde på sikt bidra till en positiv hälsoeffekt och bättre hälsa. Det finns även anledning att tro att förortsmiljön skyddar mot utveckling av astma och allergi. / Aims The purpose of this study is to examine whether there are physical health disparities between children who live in the inner city compared with children living in the suburbs. Questions: How much difference is there in how physically active children are in the inner city compared to suburbs and what medical health disparities exist between children living in the inner city and children living in the suburbs? Our hypothesis is that suburban children suffer less negative health risks and may get more positive health stimulus than inner city children and thus the suburban children have a better physical health. Method The design of this study is a comparative analytical study; we compare two different groups of schoolchildren in Stockholm, Sweden who are exposed to different conditions. We have chosen to conduct surveys that allow us to collect a large amount of data in a limited period of time. The survey was conducted on 227 fifth grade students at five schools, three in suburban areas and two in the inner city. We have selected schools in areas that do not have excessive differences in income levels. The primary factor that distinguishes the schools is their surrounding environment, mainly air quality and access to green spaces. Results The study showed that the percentage of children who are physically active in their leisure time with the leaders is 73% in the inner city and 85% in the suburbs. The percentage of children who are physically active in their leisure time without leaders is 54% in the inner city and 79% in the suburbs. The prevalence of allergy is in the inner city is 22%, the equivalent value in the suburbs is 12%. Corresponding results for asthma in the inner city is 11%, the equivalent value in the suburbs is 5%. Otherwise, the differences were small or nonexistent. Conclusion There are health disparities between the suburban and inner city children who participated in our survey. The difference lies in how physically active children are, especially when it comes to spontaneous physical activity. There is also reason to believe that the suburban environment prevents development of asthma and allergy.

Denna uppsats undersöker sambandet mellan familjesituation och hälsa, samt undersöker om detta samband kan förklaras av andra faktorer såsom individens utbildningsnivå, socioekonomiska status, hälsorelaterade beteende och sociala nätverk. Uppsatsen undersöker också om sambandet varierar enligt individens utbildningsnivå. Metoden som används är en binär logistisk regressionsanalys av data från Levnadsnivåundersökning år 2000 (LNU 2000) för att kunna indikera dessa faktorer. Resultaten visar att det förekommer ett samband mellan familjesituation och hälsa. Resultaten visar även att övriga faktorer visar sig ha en direkt påverkan på hälsan. Slutsatsen är att familjesituationen spelar en betydande roll för individens hälsa. Däremot kunde uppsatsen inte bevisa att det förekommer någon signifikant interaktionseffekt mellan individens familjesituation och olika utbildningsnivåer. Denna studie kan vara en utgångspunkt för att forska vidare om sambandet mellan familjesituation och hälsa.