Health behaviour and risk behaviour: socioeconomic differences in an Austrian rural county

The aim of this study is to illustrate the impact of socioeconomic differences on two basic kinds of health-related behaviour defined as health behaviour (HB) and risk behaviour (RB). We analysed data derived from a health survey on health-related behaviour and self-reported morbidity in relation to demographic and socioeconomic factors. The survey consists of a random sample of 27,344 individuals taken from 79 communities from the rural population of Styria (Austria). Using directly standardised indicators both HB and RB revealed clear but inverse associations with education, SES and gender. HB rises and RB falls with years of schooling completed. HB is higher in women (103.5 versus 95.0, p < 0.01) whereas RB is higher in men (128.9 versus 80.1, p < 0.01). Different patterns of association with age were found. We conclude that both HB and RB should be considered as mediating factors between SES and health status.