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 |