Persistent Social Inequality in Adolescent Health Indicators 1991-2022: Trend Study From Denmark

To examine trends in socioeconomic inequality in adolescent health over three decades, across fifteen health indicators: overweight, underweight, headache, stomachache, backpain, emotional symptoms, difficulties falling asleep, loneliness, low life satisfaction, low self-rated heath, smoking, drunkenness, physical inactivity, low vegetable intake, and inadequate toothbrushing.

The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study in Denmark included nine identical surveys of 11-15-year-olds from 1991 to 2022, n = 35,423. For each health indicator, we measured absolute and relative socioeconomic inequality by prevalence differences and odds ratios between low and high socioeconomic groups.

There was socioeconomic inequality in thirteen health indicators, e.g., the OR (95% CI) for overweight in low vs. high socioeconomic groups was 2.22 (1.95-2.49). This social inequality persisted across health indicators throughout the study period with two deviations: Underweight was not associated with socioeconomic background and drunkenness was persistently most prevalent in higher socioeconomic groups.

The political efforts to reduce socioeconomic inequality in health seems to have failed. It is important to improve monitoring of adolescent health and implement improved policies to tackle socioeconomic inequality in adolescent health.