Gender inequality and sex differences in physical fighting, physical activity, and injury among adolescents across 36 countries

Purpose: Sex differences in adolescent health are widely documented, but social explanations for these sex differences are scarce. This study examines whether societal gender inequality (i.e., men’s and women’s unequal share in political participation, decision-making power, economic participation and command over resources) relates to sex differences in adolescent physical fighting, physical activity, and injuries. Methods: National-level data on gender inequality (i.e. the United Nations Development Program’s Gender Inequality Index) were linked to health data from 71,255 15-year olds from 36 countries in the 2009/10 Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) study. Using multilevel logistic regression analyses, we tested the association between gender inequality and sex differences in health while controlling for country wealth (GDP per capita). Results: In all countries, boys reported more physical fighting, physical activity, and injuries than girls, but the magnitude of these sex differences varied greatly between countries. Societal gender inequality positively related to sex differences in all three outcomes. In more gender unequal countries, boys reported higher levels of fighting and physical activity, compared to boys in more gender equal countries. In girls, scores were consistently low for these outcomes, however injury was more common in countries with less gender inequality. Conclusions: Societal gender inequality appears to relate to sex differences in some adolescent health behaviors and may contribute to the establishment of sex differences in morbidity and mortality. To reduce inequalities in the health of future generations, public health policy should target social and cultural factors that shape perceived gender norms in young people

Сократівсько-платонівські версії мужності як спроба знайдення засобу синхронізації індивідуальної та колективної суверенності

У статті аналізується соціально-політична цінність мужності в її сократівсько-платонівській версії, що забезпечує синхронізацію індивідуальної та колективної суверенності та є ключовою чеснотою ефективного існування публічного простору.В статье анализируется социально-политическая ценность мужества в ее сократовско-платоновской версии, которая обеспечивает синхронизацию индивидуальной и коллективной суверенности и является ключевой добродетелью существования публичного пространства.In the article the socio-political value of courage is analysed in its sokrat-plato version which provides synchronization of individual and collective sovereignty and is the key virtue of existence of public space

Socioeconomic inequalities in health among Swedish adolescents - adding the subjective perspective

Abstract Background Socioeconomic inequalities in adolescent health predict future inequalities in adult health. Subjective measures of socioeconomic status (SES) may contribute with an increased understanding of these inequalities. The aim of this study was to investigate socioeconomic health inequalities using both a subjective and an objective measure of SES among Swedish adolescents. Method Cross-sectional HBSC-data from 2002 to 2014 was used with a total sample of 23,088 adolescents aged 11–15 years. Three measures of self-rated health (dependent variables) were assessed: multiple health complaints, life satisfaction and health perception. SES was measured objectively by the Family Affluence Scale (FAS) and subjectively by “perceived family wealth” (independent variables). The trend for health inequalities was investigated descriptively with independent t-tests and the relationship between independent and dependent variables was investigated with multiple logistic regression analysis. Gender, age and survey year was considered as possible confounders. Results Subjective SES was more strongly related to health outcomes than the objective measure (FAS). Also, the relation between FAS and health was weakened and even reversed (for multiple health complaints) when subjective SES was tested simultaneously in regression models (FAS OR: 1.03, CI: 1.00;1.06 and subjective SES OR: 0.66, CI: 0.63;0.68). Conclusions The level of socioeconomic inequalities in adolescent health varied depending on which measure that was used to define SES. When focusing on adolescents, the subjective appraisals of SES is important to consider because they seem to provide a stronger tool for identifying inequalities in health for this group. This finding is important for policy makers to consider given the persistence of health inequalities in Sweden and other high-income countries