Social determinants of health - effects on physical activity

Terence Dwyer’s ‘Relation of Academic Performance to Physical Activity and Fitness in Children’ study was to examine physical activity levels of Australian schools. The study consisted of 7,961 schoolchildren in Australia who participated in fitness measurements such as the 50-meter sprint and sit up challenges.

But with longer endurance events such as 1500 metre run, there could be no comparison to subjects as the event lasts longer and is purely determined not by reaction time but the aerobic ability of the student and how often they complete physical activity tasks.

‘ the disparity gives reason to question whether the link between school ratings and physical activity and fitness measurements was die to some form of measurement bias’

Measured through adjusted odds ratio, ‘mothers who had a graduate or professional degree [were] significantly associated with increased likelihood of having high levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity’

Physical activity levels were shown to be lower for females through questionnaires where males had a 65% participation rate in organised sport in comparison to females 59.9%.

Gender as a social determinant has some influence on physical activity in relation to sport but is left to many more other social factors such as occupation, SES, education and employment status.

RECOMMENDATIONS - OLENKA

-Specific gender games during PE classes

-Government funding for schools and communities in low socio-economical areas

-Increase funding to schools for equipment or facilities

-Mandatory PE classes at school

-Bring women or men sport athletes to school for a day to promote physical activity

-Community workouts

-Create an incentive for youth to become physically active

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION - ELYSIA

Education: Gender:

Socioeconomic Employment:

Status:

REFERENCES

• Australian Bureau of statistics (2006) National Centre for Culture and Recreation Statistics Women’s participation in sport and physical activities. Pages 1-22
• Australian bureau of statistics. (2007). Motivators and Constraints to

Participation in Sports and Physical Recreation. Retrieved from

http://www.ausport.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/142220/ABS_-

• Dwyer.T, Sallis. J, Blizzard. L, Lazarus.R, & Dean.K. (2001). Relation of Academic Performance to Physical Activity and Fitness in Children. Pediatric Exercise Science, 13 pages 225-237
• FBG. (2014, March 24). Venus vs. Mars: Isn’t It Time We Drop the Gender Bias? [Image]. Fit Bottomed Girls. Retrieved from http://fitbottomedgirls.com/2014/03/venus-vs-mars-isnt-it-time-we-drop-the-gender-bias/
• Fisher, M. (2016, January 5). Socio-economic model [Image]. Self-Willed Land. Retrieved from http://www.self-willed-land.org.uk/permaculture/health_ineqs.htm#socio-economic model
• Gordon-Larsen.P, McMurray.R & Popkin.B. (2000) Determinants of Adolescent Physical Activity and Inactivity Patterns, American Academy of Pediatrics, pages 1-8, DOI: 10.1542/peds.105.6.e83
• India Inc. (2016, March 1). WB To Educate Students In MP [Image]. India Inc. Retrieved from http://www.usa.indiaincorporated.com/wb-to-educate-students-in-mp/
• _Motivators_and_Constraints_to_particpation_in_Sports_and_Physical_Recreation.pdf
• Tasmanian Government. (2016). Determinants of health. Retrieved from: http://www.dhhs.tas.gov.au/wihpw/principles/determinants_of_health
• UC Riverside (2015, December 18). Employment Opportunities [Image]. University of California, Riverside. Retrieved from http://plantbiology.ucr.edu/employment.html
• Vic Health. (2010). Participation on physical activity. Retrieved from https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/media-and-resources/publications/participation-in-physical-activity
• Australian institute of health and welfare (2012)What actions can be taken for good health Retrieved from – http://www.aihw.gov.au/australias-health/2012/good-health/
• Australian Government Department of Health (2013)The Social Determinants of HealthRetrieved from – http://www.health.gov.au/internet/publications/publishing.nsf/Content/oatsih-healthplan-toc~determinants

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION CONT. - ELYSIA

Education:

- Education increases health knowledge among adolescents of the importance of physical activity

- Academic reaction has been found to have an effect on muscular power times

- In the US, the education levels attained by mothers was a key influence on physical activity levels of their adolescent children

Gender:

- Males have higher participation in some sports but females have higher participation in others

- According to the ABS, physical activity levels among females proved to be lower compared to males

Socioeconomic status:

- People from lower socioeconomic areas generally have lower access to facilities (such as gyms and pools) due to financial and physical barriers, contributing to lower physical activity levels

- On the other hand, those experiencing low socioeconomic status generally undertake more incidental physical activity e.g walking to and from work and school due to limited transport

Employment:

- Similar effect to socioeconomic status

CRITICAL ANALYSIS - REECE

INTRODUCTION AND LITERATURE OVERVIEW - GEORGIA

socio economic status

Socioeconomic status (SES) is an economic and sociological combined total measure of a person's work experience and of an individual's or family's economic and social position in relation to others, based on income, education, and occupation.

positives high socio economic status:

- higher availability to use facilities such as a gym.

- high socio economic areas would have more facilities to use.

positives for low socio economic status:

- are more likely to walk or use public transport, increasing levels of Physical Activity

46% of males and 30% of females aged 15-24 years in Australia participated in levels of physical activity as recommended on the national guidelines to obtain health benefit.

INTRODUCTION CONT. - GEORGIA

CRITICAL ANALYSIS CONT. - REECE

percentage of people with high and low socio economic status who perform physical activity in Australia 2012:

employment/income

Employment/income is the income that an employee receives from an office or employment. The definition is wide and includes not only regular salary but also other cash payments.

positives:

- having a higher income from employment can allow for more money to be spent on physical activity such as a gym membership or a sporting club registration.

negatives:

- having a low income will reduce the chances of money being spent on recreational physical activity use, lowering levels of physical activity.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS - ERIN

Education

CRITICAL ANALYSIS CONT. - ERIN

Gender specific

bush walking

Social determinants of health - effects on physical activity levels