{
  "abstract": "Background Investigating health inequalities among adolescents and young people is complex because of the measurement of socioeconomic position (SEP) and health. Census data includes several validated measures of SEP and health. General health (GH) is a global summary measure that predicts mortality and morbidity and is a useful measure of health for young people. The National Statistics Socio-economic Classification (NS-SEC) is based on employment relations and conditions; at the level of the household’s reference person (HRP), it indicates the resources available for members of the household. This study focuses on gender differences in health inequalities in 10 to 29-year-olds. We are applying the theoretical framework of fundamental cause theory (FCT) that was developed to better understand the persistent association between SEP and morbidity and mortality.Methods We utilised the 2001, 2011, and 2021 Census Safeguarded Individual Microdata Samples at the Region Level. Gender-stratified bivariate and logistic regression analysis were applied to examine GH by the NS-SEC of the household reference person, controlled for age and household deprivation of housing and education. We included residual categories of full-time students and never worked (NW) or long-term unemployed (LTU). We also tested the effect of limiting long-term conditions; and individual-level highest qualifications among 19–29-year-olds.Results Below, we are reporting the results of the 2021 census data for England and Wales. 351,446 boys and 346,282 girls were included in the analysis. All differences reported below are statistically significant (p-values less than 0.05). In both boys and girls, compared to respondents from managerial and professional households, all other NS-SEC groups had higher odds of reporting fair or poor health. The odds were highest among young people from NW and LTU households; their odds were respectively 3.9 and 2.4 times higher. Similarly, among 19 to 29-year-olds, all other qualifications groups had higher odds of reporting fair or poor health compared to those educated at degree level. The highest odds were observed for young people with no qualifications (Odds ratios for females and males respectively 3.1 and 2.9) and level 1 qualifications (Odds ratios respectively for females and males 3.7 and 2.9).Conclusion Our findings are in line with the FCT that views SEP as a fundamental cause of health inequalities. People from different SEPs have different access to health-supporting resources; therefore, even when overall living conditions and population health improve, differences in health persist.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "School of Medicine, University of ST Andrews, St Andrews, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Katrin Metsis"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Joanna Inchley"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "School of Health in Social Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Andrew James Williams"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "School of Medicine, University of ST Andrews, St Andrews, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Frank Sullivan"
    }
  ],
  "title": "P52 Gender inequalities in general health among young people: and application of fundamental cause theory and UK census microdata",
  "uid": "df1aa57b-1b3c-5cc6-ad98-ed79bee7666f"
}