Socioeconomic position and physical activity among women in Melbourne, Australia: does the use of different socioeconomic indicators matter?
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.
Social science medicine