Theoretical underpinning and potential mechanisms of action on CHD of each measurement of socioeconomic position examined in this study
| SEP measurement | Possible mechanism of action |
|---|---|
| Father’s occupational social class | Access to material resources, including ability to afford a healthy diet that could have a lasting effect on CHD |
| Social status/prestige of family that may affect CHD through psychosocial pathways and adoption of behavioural risk factors such as smoking | |
| Indicator of general family living standards | |
| Passive exposure to occupational toxins | |
| Living in a house without a bathroom as a child | Access to material resources, including ability to afford a healthy diet that could have a lasting effect on CHD |
| Social status/prestige of family that may affect CHD through psychosocial pathways and adoption of behavioural risk factors such as smoking | |
| Indicator of general family living standards | |
| Difficulties in maintaining good hygiene practices | |
| Exposure to infections | |
| Living in a house with no hot water in childhood | Access to material resources, including ability to afford a healthy diet that could have a lasting effect on CHD |
| Social status/prestige of family that may affect CHD through psychosocial pathways and adoption of behavioural risk factors such as smoking | |
| Indicator of general family living standards | |
| Difficulties in maintaining good hygiene practices | |
| Exposure to infections | |
| Sharing a bedroom in childhood | Access to material resources, including ability to afford a healthy diet that could have a lasting effect on CHD |
| Exposure to airborne infections | |
| Family car access as a child | Access to material resources, including ability to afford a healthy diet that could have a lasting effect on CHD |
| Social status/prestige of family that may affect CHD through psychosocial pathways and adoption of behavioural risk factors such as smoking | |
| Indicator of general family living standards | |
| Ability to easily access health care services and leisure facilities | |
| Age at leaving full time education | Social status/prestige of family that may affect CHD through psychosocial pathways and adoption of behavioural risk factors such as smoking |
| Ability to access and understand health promoting and disease preventing materials | |
| Peer effects | |
| Greater confidence in dealing with health professionals | |
| May mediate some of the effects of other indicators of early life SEP | |
| Husband’s and/own occupational social class | Access to material resources, including ability to afford a healthy diet that could have a lasting effect on CHD |
| Reflection of employment relationships that may affect CHD through psychosocial pathways | |
| Social status/prestige that may affect CHD through psychosocial pathways and continuation of behavioural risk factors such as smoking | |
| Indicator of general living standards in adulthood | |
| Exposure to occupational toxins | |
| Housing tenure | Access to material resources, including ability to afford a healthy diet that could have a lasting effect on CHD |
| Social status/prestige that may affect CHD through psychosocial pathways and continuation of behavioural risk factors such as smoking | |
| Indicator of general living standards in adulthood | |
| Neighbourhood social support | |
| Community facilities, for example, supportive environment for physical activity, local shops | |
| Health effects of housing conditions, such as damp and cold | |
| Car access in adulthood | Access to material resources, including ability to afford a healthy diet that could have a lasting effect on CHD |
| Social status/prestige which may affect CHD through psychosocial pathways and continuation of behavioural risk factors such as smoking | |
| Ability to access health care services easily | |
| Pension arrangements | Access to material resources, including ability to afford a healthy diet that could have a lasting effect on CHD |
| Indicator of general adult living standards and likely standards into old age |