abstract: 'Background: Pressing issues, like financial concerns, may outweigh the

  importance people attach to health. This study tested whether health,

  compared to other life domains, was considered more important by people

  in high versus low socioeconomic positions, with future focus and

  financial strain as potential explanatory factors.

  Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2019 among N=1,330

  Dutch adults. Participants rated the importance of two health-related

  domains (not being ill, living a long life) and seven other life domains

  (e.g., work, family) on a five-point scale. A latent class analysis

  grouped participants in classes with similar patterns of importance

  ratings. Differences in class membership according to socioeconomic

  position (indicated by income and education) were examined using

  structural equation modelling, with future focus and financial strain as

  mediators.

  Results: Three classes were identified, which were defined as:

  neutralists, who found all domains neutral or unimportant (3.5\% of the

  sample); hedonists, who found most domains important except living a

  long life, work, and religion (36.2\%); and maximalists, who found

  nearly all domains important, including both health domains (60.3\%). Of

  the neutralists, 38\% considered not being ill important, and 30\%

  considered living a long life important. For hedonists, this was 92\%

  and 39\%, respectively, and for maximalists this was 99\% and 87\%,

  respectively. Compared to belonging to the maximalists class, a low

  income predicted belonging to the neutralists, and a higher educational

  level and unemployment predicted belonging to the hedonists. No

  mediation pathways via future focus or financial strain were found.

  Conclusions: Lower income groups were less likely to consider not being

  ill important. Those without paid employment and those with a higher

  educational level were less likely to consider living a long life

  important. Neither future focus nor financial strain explained these

  inequalities. Future research should investigate socioeconomic

  differences in conceptualisations of health, and if inequalities in the

  perceived importance of health are associated with inequalities in

  health. To support individuals dealing with challenging circumstances in

  daily life, health-promoting interventions could align to the life

  domains perceived important to reach their target group and to prevent

  widening socioeconomic health inequalities.'
affiliation: 'Verra, SE (Corresponding Author), Univ Utrecht, Dept Interdisciplinary
  Social Sci, Padualaan 14, NL-3584 CH Utrecht, Netherlands.

  Verra, Sanne E.; Mudd, Andrea L.; de Wit, John; Kamphuis, Carlijn B. M., Univ Utrecht,
  Dept Interdisciplinary Social Sci, Padualaan 14, NL-3584 CH Utrecht, Netherlands.

  Poelman, Maartje P.; de Vet, Emely; van Rongen, Sofie, Wageningen Univ \& Res, Chair
  Grp Consumpt \& Hlth Lifestyles, Hollandseweg 1, NL-6706 KN Wageningen, Netherlands.'
article-number: '86'
author: Verra, Sanne E. and Poelman, Maartje P. and Mudd, Andrea L. and de Vet, Emely
  and van Rongen, Sofie and de Wit, John and Kamphuis, Carlijn B. M.
author-email: s.e.verra@uu.nl
author_list:
- family: Verra
  given: Sanne E.
- family: Poelman
  given: Maartje P.
- family: Mudd
  given: Andrea L.
- family: de Vet
  given: Emely
- family: van Rongen
  given: Sofie
- family: de Wit
  given: John
- family: Kamphuis
  given: Carlijn B. M.
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.1186/s12889-022-12508-2
eissn: 1471-2458
files: []
journal: BMC PUBLIC HEALTH
keywords-plus: DISENGAGEMENT; CONSEQUENCES; EXPLANATION; MORTALITY; VARIABLES; LIVES
language: English
month: JAN 13
number: '1'
number-of-cited-references: '42'
orcid-numbers: 'De Vet, Emely/0000-0002-4452-2367

  Verra, Sanne/0000-0003-4963-0153'
papis_id: d4ea94ee4d404f746d75caf74fa0838d
ref: Verra2022whatsimportant
researcherid-numbers: 'De Vet, Emely/B-4896-2014

  '
times-cited: '2'
title: What's important to you? Socioeconomic inequalities in the perceived importance
  of health compared to other life domains
type: article
unique-id: WOS:000742366700005
usage-count-last-180-days: '1'
usage-count-since-2013: '3'
volume: '22'
web-of-science-categories: Public, Environmental \& Occupational Health
year: '2022'