Education as a key determinant of health: A case study from rural Anhui, China

Introduction: Recent attention has focused on the emergence and causes of substantial health disparities between rural and urban residents in China. This study aims to identify which social determinants contribute to the poor health status of rural Chinese. Methods: Quantitative analysis (multivar...

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Main Authors: Adam Mursal, Weizhen Dong
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Edizioni FS 2018-03-01
Series:Journal of Health and Social Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journalhss.com/wp-content/uploads/jhss31_59-74-1.pdf
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author Adam Mursal
Weizhen Dong
author_facet Adam Mursal
Weizhen Dong
author_sort Adam Mursal
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Recent attention has focused on the emergence and causes of substantial health disparities between rural and urban residents in China. This study aims to identify which social determinants contribute to the poor health status of rural Chinese. Methods: Quantitative analysis (multivariate logistic regression) of survey data was utilized to determine significant social determinants of health affecting the health of adult people from the rural province of Anhui, China. Diagnosis of chronic diseases was the main measure of health used as the outcome variable. Predictor variables included in the statistical model were major social determinants of health (education, income, sex, age, occupation, as well as health behaviours related to smoking, drinking, and exercise).  Results: Our findings indicated education had the largest impact on chronic disease diagnoses in rural Anhui. Generally, as education level increases, incidence of chronic disease diagnosis decreases. Discussion and Conclusion: Healthcare reform in Anhui China should focus on increasing the education level of rural residents, particularly for vulnerable groups such as farmers, women, the elderly, and homemakers.
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institution Kabale University
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series Journal of Health and Social Sciences
spelling doaj-art-c23e1cadf79a4f7cbe7d6ca70278d6842025-01-18T18:20:28ZengEdizioni FSJournal of Health and Social Sciences2499-22402499-58862018-03-0131597410.19204/2018/dctn6Education as a key determinant of health: A case study from rural Anhui, ChinaAdam Mursal0Weizhen Dong1Department of Sociology and Legal Studies, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, CanadaDepartment of Sociology and Legal Studies, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, CanadaIntroduction: Recent attention has focused on the emergence and causes of substantial health disparities between rural and urban residents in China. This study aims to identify which social determinants contribute to the poor health status of rural Chinese. Methods: Quantitative analysis (multivariate logistic regression) of survey data was utilized to determine significant social determinants of health affecting the health of adult people from the rural province of Anhui, China. Diagnosis of chronic diseases was the main measure of health used as the outcome variable. Predictor variables included in the statistical model were major social determinants of health (education, income, sex, age, occupation, as well as health behaviours related to smoking, drinking, and exercise).  Results: Our findings indicated education had the largest impact on chronic disease diagnoses in rural Anhui. Generally, as education level increases, incidence of chronic disease diagnosis decreases. Discussion and Conclusion: Healthcare reform in Anhui China should focus on increasing the education level of rural residents, particularly for vulnerable groups such as farmers, women, the elderly, and homemakers.http://journalhss.com/wp-content/uploads/jhss31_59-74-1.pdfChina; education; health policy; SDoH (social determinants of health).
spellingShingle Adam Mursal
Weizhen Dong
Education as a key determinant of health: A case study from rural Anhui, China
Journal of Health and Social Sciences
China; education; health policy; SDoH (social determinants of health).
title Education as a key determinant of health: A case study from rural Anhui, China
title_full Education as a key determinant of health: A case study from rural Anhui, China
title_fullStr Education as a key determinant of health: A case study from rural Anhui, China
title_full_unstemmed Education as a key determinant of health: A case study from rural Anhui, China
title_short Education as a key determinant of health: A case study from rural Anhui, China
title_sort education as a key determinant of health a case study from rural anhui china
topic China; education; health policy; SDoH (social determinants of health).
url http://journalhss.com/wp-content/uploads/jhss31_59-74-1.pdf
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