Social determinants of health behaviors in primary school children: A cross-sectional study of both migrant and resident children in Beijing, China

Abstract

Childhood risky behaviors always result in adverse health outcomes. These behaviors are greatly affected by social environment and individual factors. However, few studies explored the social determinants of schoolchildren’s health behaviors. In this cross-sectional study, the social determinants of health behaviors were examined among both migrant and resident students in Beijing, China. Data of 967 children from six urban and suburban primary schools were analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis. The results showed that less than 60% of children performed some healthy behaviors, although their health knowledge was generally good. Children’s health behavior scores were greatly determined by school characteristics, health knowledge, demographic characteristics, and family context. Therefore, improving health education and conditions in primary schools is the priority to promote children’s healthy behaviors, especially for disadvantaged children.

Keywords

health behavior / lifestyle / school health / social determinants

References

[1] RewL, HornerSD. Youth Resilience Framework for reducing health-risk behaviors in adolescents. J Pediatr Nurs, 2003, 18(6): 379-388 PMID: 15058534

[2] HaymanLL, HimmelfarbCD. Cardiovascular health promotion and risk reduction in children and adolescents: the new integrated guidelines. J Cardiovasc Nurs, 2012, 27(3): 197-200 PMID: 22508488

[3] HansonMD, ChenE. Socioeconomic status and health behaviors in adolescence: a review of the literature. J Behav Med, 2007, 30(3): 263-285 PMID: 17514418

[4] World Health Organization.. Closing the gap in a generation: health equity through action on the social determinants of health, 2008

[5] AlamianA, ParadisG. Individual and social determinants of multiple chronic disease behavioral risk factors among youth. BMC Public Health, 2012, 12(3): 224 PMID: 22439966 PMCID: 3331803

[6] TuinstraJ, GroothoffJW, van den HeuvelWJ, et al. . Socio-economic differences in health risk behavior in adolescence: do they exist. Soc Sci Med, 1998, 47(1): 67-74 PMID: 9683380

[7] BlumRW, BeuhringT, ShewML, et al. . The effects of race/ethnicity, income, and family structure on adolescent risk behaviors. Am J Public Health, 2000, 90(12): 1879-1884 PMID: 11111260 PMCID: 1446419

[8] XieB, GillilandFD, LiYF, et al. . Effects of ethnicity, family income, and education on dietary intake among adolescents. Prev Med, 2003, 36(1): 30-40 PMID: 12473422

[9] KangHY, ParkIH, KimMJ. The role of vision screening and classroom illumination in the vision health of Korean school children. J Sch Health, 2003, 73(9): 358-362 PMID: 14689773

[10] ThompsonDR, IachanR, OverpeckM, et al. . School connectedness in the health behavior in school-aged children study: the role of student, school, and school neighborhood characteristics. J Sch Health, 2006, 76(7): 379-386 PMID: 16918872

[11] VuilleJC, SchenkelM. Social equalization in the health of youth. The role of the school. Eur J Public Health, 2001, 11(3): 287-293 PMID: 11582609

[12] LiY. Understanding health constraints among rural-to-urban migrants in China. Qual Health Res, 2013, 23(11): 1459-1469 PMID: 24122513

[13] HongY, LiX, StantonB, et al. . Too costly to be ill: Healthcare access and health-seeking behaviours among rural-to-urban migrants in China. World Health Popul, 2006, 8(2): 22-34 PMID: 18277099 PMCID: 2249561

[14] ChenX, StantonB, LiX, et al. . A comparison of health-risk behaviors of rural migrants with rural residents and urban residents in China. Am J Health Behav, 2009, 33(1): 15-25 PMID: 18844517

[15] National HealthFamily Planning Commission of the People’s Republic of China. 2013. Report on China’s Migrant Population Development, 2013, Beijing, Population Publishing House

[16] Department of Floating Population ServiceManagement of National PopulationFamily Planning Commission of China.. Current living situation of migrant population in China. Renkou Yanjiu (Chinese), 2010, 1: 53-59

[17] ZaiL YP. The educational consequences of migration for children in China. Soc Sci Res, 2007, 36(1): 28-47

[18] DuPlessisHM, Cora-BrambleD. Providing care for immigrant, homeless, and migrant children. Pediatrics, 2005, 115(4): 1095-1100 PMID: 15805397

[19] SituWM, JiangJ. Health behaviours and knowledge of students in migrant-run schools. Zhongguo Ertong Baojian Zazhi (Chinese), 2009, 1: 117-121

[20] WangX Z, GuSL. Health knowledge and behaviours of students in migrant primary school in Ningbo city. Zhejiang Prev Med (Chinese), 2007, 5: 65-66

[21] CortinaMA, KahnK, FazelM, et al. . School-based interventions can play a critical role in enhancing children’s development and health in the developing world. Child Care Health Dev, 2008, 34(1): 1-3 PMID: 18171436

[22] Canada Health. Youth Smoking Survey: Terminology [database on the Internet]. http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hc-ps/t bac-tabac/research-recherche/stat/survey-sondage_term-eng.php. 2010. (access on 2014-10-30)

[23] RewL, HornerSD, FouladiRT. Factors associated with health behaviors in middle childhood. J Pediatr Nurs, 2010, 25(3): 157-166 PMID: 20430276 PMCID: 3016843

[24] PeltzerK. Health behavior and protective factors among school children in four African countries. Int J Behav Med, 2009, 16(2): 172-180 PMID: 19424814

[25] AdelmannPK. Social environmental factors and preteen health-related behaviors. J Adolesc Health, 2005, 36(1): 36-47 PMID: 15661595

[26] PollackCE, ChideyaS, CubbinC, et al. . Should health studies measure wealth? A systematic review. Am J Prev Med, 2007, 33(3): 250-264 PMID: 17826585

[27] AlamianA, ParadisG. Individual and social determinants of multiple chronic disease behavioral risk factors among youth. BMC Public Health, 2012, 12: 224 PMID: 22439966 PMCID: 3331803

[28] BartonBA, EldridgeAL, ThompsonD, et al. . The relationship of breakfast and cereal consumption to nutrient intake and body mass index: the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Growth and Health Study. J Am Diet Assoc, 2005, 105(9): 1383-1389 PMID: 16129079

[29] YuXM, WangSM, ZhangX. Study on student health literacy gained through health education in elementary and middle schools in China. Health Educ J, 2011, 71(4): 452-460

[30] SivaramakrishnanM, KamathV. A typical working-day breakfast among children, adolescents and adults belonging to the middle and upper socio-economic classes in Mumbai, India — challenges and implications for dietary change. Public Health Nutr, 2012, 15(11): 2040-2046 PMID: 22647430

[31] PearsonN, AtkinAJ, BiddleSJ, et al. . Patterns of adolescent physical activity and dietary behaviours. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act, 2009, 6(2): 1-7

[32] Al-HazzaaHM, AbahussainNA, Al-SobayelHI, et al. . Physical activity, sedentary behaviors and dietary habits among Saudi adolescents relative to age, gender and region. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act, 2011, 8(12): 140 PMID: 22188825 PMCID: 3339333

[33] CortinaMA, KahnK, FazelM, et al. . School-based interventions can play a critical role in enhancing children’s development and health in the developing world. Child Care Health Dev, 2008, 34(1): 1-3 PMID: 18171436

[34] WechslerH, DevereauxRS, DavisM, et al. . Using the school environment to promote physical activity and healthy eating. Prev Med, 2000, 31(2): S121-S137

[35] MaesL, LievensJ. Can the school make a difference? A multilevel analysis of adolescent risk and health behaviour. Soc Sci Med, 2003, 56(3): 517-529 PMID: 12570971

[36] GaoGD, LuoCY. Health care management in migrant-run schools in Shanghai. Sh J Prev Med (Chinese), 2005, 12: 573-574

[37] GreenLW, KreuterMW. Health promotion planning: an educational and environmental approach. Mayfield Pub. Co, 1991

[38] LiuS, GriffithsSM. From economic development to public health improvement: China faces equity challenges. Public health, 2011, 125(10): 669-674 PMID: 21907369