Skip to main content
Top
Published in: International Journal of Public Health 1/2015

01-01-2015 | Original Article

Patterns of health risk behaviors among job-seekers: a latent class analysis

Authors: Inga Schnuerer, Sophie Baumann, Katja Haberecht, Beate Gaertner, Ulrich John, Jennis Freyer-Adam

Published in: International Journal of Public Health | Issue 1/2015

Login to get access

Abstract

Objectives

To examine the patterning of four behavior-related health risk factors (tobacco smoking, risky alcohol drinking, overweight, and physical inactivity) among job-seekers and to investigate socio-demographic and health-related predictors of patterning.

Methods

The sample of 3,684 female and 4,221 male job-seekers was proactively recruited at three job agencies in northeastern Germany in 2008/09. Participants provided data on socio-demographics, substance use, body mass index, physical activity and self-rated health. Latent class analyses (LCA) and multinomial logistic regression analyses were applied to identify health risk patterns and possible predictors of patterning, respectively.

Results

Forty-three percent of the female and 58 % of the male participants had two or more health risk factors. LCA revealed three similar patterns for women and men: Substance use (tobacco smoking, risky drinking), Non-exercising overweight (physical inactivity, overweight/obesity) and Health-conscious (non-smoking, low-risk drinking, under-/normal weight, physical activity). Age, education, marital status, life-time unemployment and self-rated health were significantly associated with patterning in both genders.

Conclusions

Our results may help to define target populations for improving health behaviors among job-seekers.
Literature
go back to reference Berrigan D, Dodd K, Troiano RP, Krebs-Smith SM, Barbash RB (2003) Patterns of health behavior in U.S. adults. Prev Med 36(5):615–623 (S0091743502000671 [pii])PubMedCrossRef Berrigan D, Dodd K, Troiano RP, Krebs-Smith SM, Barbash RB (2003) Patterns of health behavior in U.S. adults. Prev Med 36(5):615–623 (S0091743502000671 [pii])PubMedCrossRef
go back to reference Bush K, Kivlahan DR, McDonell MB, Fihn SD, Bradley KA (1998) The AUDIT alcohol consumption questions (AUDIT-C): an effective brief screening test for problem drinking. Ambulatory care quality improvement project (ACQUIP). Alcohol use disorders identification test. Arch Int Med 158(16):1789–1795CrossRef Bush K, Kivlahan DR, McDonell MB, Fihn SD, Bradley KA (1998) The AUDIT alcohol consumption questions (AUDIT-C): an effective brief screening test for problem drinking. Ambulatory care quality improvement project (ACQUIP). Alcohol use disorders identification test. Arch Int Med 158(16):1789–1795CrossRef
go back to reference Grobe TG, Schwartz FW (2003) Federal health monitoring issue 13. Unemployment and health. Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin Grobe TG, Schwartz FW (2003) Federal health monitoring issue 13. Unemployment and health. Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin
go back to reference Henkel D (2011) Unemployment and substance use: a review of the literature (1990–2010). Curr Drug Abuse Rev 4(1):4–27 (BSP/CDAR/E-Pub/00026 [pii])PubMedCrossRef Henkel D (2011) Unemployment and substance use: a review of the literature (1990–2010). Curr Drug Abuse Rev 4(1):4–27 (BSP/CDAR/E-Pub/00026 [pii])PubMedCrossRef
go back to reference Hollederer A (2011) Unemployment and health in the German population: results from a 2005 microcensus. J Public Health 19:257–268CrossRef Hollederer A (2011) Unemployment and health in the German population: results from a 2005 microcensus. J Public Health 19:257–268CrossRef
go back to reference Idler EL, Benyamini Y (1997) Self-rated health and mortality: a review of twenty-seven community studies. J Health Soc Behav 38(1):21–37PubMedCrossRef Idler EL, Benyamini Y (1997) Self-rated health and mortality: a review of twenty-seven community studies. J Health Soc Behav 38(1):21–37PubMedCrossRef
go back to reference Laaksonen M, Prattala R, Karisto A (2001) Patterns of unhealthy behaviour in Finland. Eur J Public Health 11(3):294–300PubMedCrossRef Laaksonen M, Prattala R, Karisto A (2001) Patterns of unhealthy behaviour in Finland. Eur J Public Health 11(3):294–300PubMedCrossRef
go back to reference Laaksonen M, Prattala R, Lahelma E (2003) Sociodemographic determinants of multiple unhealthy behaviours. Scand J Public Health 31(1):37–43 (H7V3U63D37W9TTQT [pii])PubMedCrossRef Laaksonen M, Prattala R, Lahelma E (2003) Sociodemographic determinants of multiple unhealthy behaviours. Scand J Public Health 31(1):37–43 (H7V3U63D37W9TTQT [pii])PubMedCrossRef
go back to reference Laska MN, Pasch KE, Lust K, Story M, Ehlinger E (2009) Latent class analysis of lifestyle characteristics and health risk behaviors among college youth. Prevention science : the official journal of the Society for Prevention Research 10(4):376–386. doi:10.1007/s11121-009-0140-2 CrossRef Laska MN, Pasch KE, Lust K, Story M, Ehlinger E (2009) Latent class analysis of lifestyle characteristics and health risk behaviors among college youth. Prevention science : the official journal of the Society for Prevention Research 10(4):376–386. doi:10.​1007/​s11121-009-0140-2 CrossRef
go back to reference MacCallum RC, Zhang S, Preacher KJ, Rucker DD (2002) On the practice of dichotomization of quantitative variables. Psychol Methods 7(1):19–40PubMedCrossRef MacCallum RC, Zhang S, Preacher KJ, Rucker DD (2002) On the practice of dichotomization of quantitative variables. Psychol Methods 7(1):19–40PubMedCrossRef
go back to reference Mclachlan GJ (1987) On Bootstrapping the likelihood ratio test statistic for the number of Components in a normal mixture. Appl Stat-J Royal Stat Soc C 36(3):318–324. doi:10.2307/2347790 Mclachlan GJ (1987) On Bootstrapping the likelihood ratio test statistic for the number of Components in a normal mixture. Appl Stat-J Royal Stat Soc C 36(3):318–324. doi:10.​2307/​2347790
go back to reference Muthén LK, Muthén BO (1998–2010) Mplus User’s Guide, 6th Edn. Muthén & Muthén, Los Angeles Muthén LK, Muthén BO (1998–2010) Mplus User’s Guide, 6th Edn. Muthén & Muthén, Los Angeles
go back to reference Nagin DS (2005) Group-based modeling of development. Havard University Press, Cambridge Nagin DS (2005) Group-based modeling of development. Havard University Press, Cambridge
go back to reference Schuit AJ, van Loon AJ, Tijhuis M, Ocke M (2002) Clustering of lifestyle risk factors in a general adult population. Prev Med 35(3):219–224PubMedCrossRef Schuit AJ, van Loon AJ, Tijhuis M, Ocke M (2002) Clustering of lifestyle risk factors in a general adult population. Prev Med 35(3):219–224PubMedCrossRef
go back to reference StataCorp (2011) Stata statistical software: release 12. College Station, TX: Stata Corp LP StataCorp (2011) Stata statistical software: release 12. College Station, TX: Stata Corp LP
go back to reference Wang J, Wang X (2012) Structural equation modeling: applications using Mplus. Wiley, West SussexCrossRef Wang J, Wang X (2012) Structural equation modeling: applications using Mplus. Wiley, West SussexCrossRef
go back to reference WHO report obesity (1998) Preventing and managing the global epidemic. WHO, Genf WHO report obesity (1998) Preventing and managing the global epidemic. WHO, Genf
Metadata
Title
Patterns of health risk behaviors among job-seekers: a latent class analysis
Authors
Inga Schnuerer
Sophie Baumann
Katja Haberecht
Beate Gaertner
Ulrich John
Jennis Freyer-Adam
Publication date
01-01-2015
Publisher
Springer Basel
Published in
International Journal of Public Health / Issue 1/2015
Print ISSN: 1661-8556
Electronic ISSN: 1661-8564
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-014-0623-1

Other articles of this Issue 1/2015

International Journal of Public Health 1/2015 Go to the issue