Social inequalities in health‐related use of time in Australian adolescents
Abstract Objective: Young people's socioeconomic position and time use behaviours – including physical activity, sedentary behaviours, social engagement, sleep and cognitive activities – have been associated with health outcomes. This study aimed to describe how time use varies with household i...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2012-08-01
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| Series: | Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-6405.2012.00883.x |
| _version_ | 1797715899969437696 |
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| author | Katia E. Ferrar Tim S. Olds Carol A. Maher Sjaan R. Gomersall |
| author_facet | Katia E. Ferrar Tim S. Olds Carol A. Maher Sjaan R. Gomersall |
| author_sort | Katia E. Ferrar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Objective: Young people's socioeconomic position and time use behaviours – including physical activity, sedentary behaviours, social engagement, sleep and cognitive activities – have been associated with health outcomes. This study aimed to describe how time use varies with household income in a representative sample of 9–16 year old Australians. Methods: A random sample of 2,071 9–16 year old Australian children provided household income data and four days’ use‐of‐time data. Average daily minutes spent in various types of activities were calculated. Kruskal‐Wallis and Mann Whitney U tests were used to compare time use across the income bands. Results: Higher income participants spent significantly more time playing sport (p<0.0001), including team sports (p=0.0005), and in cognitively demanding behaviours such as school routine (p<0.0001), doing homework (p<0.0001) and playing music (p=0.001) than their low‐income counterparts. Conversely, low‐income participants spent significantly more time watching television (p<0.001) and playing videogames (p<0.0002). There were no differences in sleep or social interaction. Screen time and school‐related activities were the major locations of differences. Conclusions: Time use differences in the areas of sport, school‐related and screen activities may be associated with various health and wellbeing outcomes, and thus be a source of health inequalities. Implications : Socioeconomic‐related time use behaviour differences could be used to develop specific interventions to address health inequalities via interventions addressing time use or income inequalities. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T08:13:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2e768ffe96ab4b5bade62bf7b69affa7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1326-0200 1753-6405 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T08:13:39Z |
| publishDate | 2012-08-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-2e768ffe96ab4b5bade62bf7b69affa72023-09-02T19:01:07ZengElsevierAustralian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health1326-02001753-64052012-08-0136437838410.1111/j.1753-6405.2012.00883.xSocial inequalities in health‐related use of time in Australian adolescentsKatia E. Ferrar0Tim S. Olds1Carol A. Maher2Sjaan R. Gomersall3Health and Use of Time Group, School of Health Sciences, University of South Australia; Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South AustraliaHealth and Use of Time Group, School of Health Sciences, University of South Australia; Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South AustraliaHealth and Use of Time Group, School of Health Sciences, University of South Australia; Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South AustraliaHealth and Use of Time Group, School of Health Sciences, University of South Australia; Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South AustraliaAbstract Objective: Young people's socioeconomic position and time use behaviours – including physical activity, sedentary behaviours, social engagement, sleep and cognitive activities – have been associated with health outcomes. This study aimed to describe how time use varies with household income in a representative sample of 9–16 year old Australians. Methods: A random sample of 2,071 9–16 year old Australian children provided household income data and four days’ use‐of‐time data. Average daily minutes spent in various types of activities were calculated. Kruskal‐Wallis and Mann Whitney U tests were used to compare time use across the income bands. Results: Higher income participants spent significantly more time playing sport (p<0.0001), including team sports (p=0.0005), and in cognitively demanding behaviours such as school routine (p<0.0001), doing homework (p<0.0001) and playing music (p=0.001) than their low‐income counterparts. Conversely, low‐income participants spent significantly more time watching television (p<0.001) and playing videogames (p<0.0002). There were no differences in sleep or social interaction. Screen time and school‐related activities were the major locations of differences. Conclusions: Time use differences in the areas of sport, school‐related and screen activities may be associated with various health and wellbeing outcomes, and thus be a source of health inequalities. Implications : Socioeconomic‐related time use behaviour differences could be used to develop specific interventions to address health inequalities via interventions addressing time use or income inequalities.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-6405.2012.00883.xhousehold incomeadolescentuse‐of‐timescreen timesleepphysical activity |
| spellingShingle | Katia E. Ferrar Tim S. Olds Carol A. Maher Sjaan R. Gomersall Social inequalities in health‐related use of time in Australian adolescents Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health household income adolescent use‐of‐time screen time sleep physical activity |
| title | Social inequalities in health‐related use of time in Australian adolescents |
| title_full | Social inequalities in health‐related use of time in Australian adolescents |
| title_fullStr | Social inequalities in health‐related use of time in Australian adolescents |
| title_full_unstemmed | Social inequalities in health‐related use of time in Australian adolescents |
| title_short | Social inequalities in health‐related use of time in Australian adolescents |
| title_sort | social inequalities in health related use of time in australian adolescents |
| topic | household income adolescent use‐of‐time screen time sleep physical activity |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-6405.2012.00883.x |
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