Determinants of self-reported health
Determinants of self-reported health

Summary/Abstract: The theoretical background of this article is based on the biopsychosocial model of health and the resource theory. The basic hypothesis is that socio-economic status has an impact on risk behaviour as well as on health status. The respondents have been asked about various aspect of their physical fitness, risk behaviour and the frequency of perceived symptoms of illness experienced during the last year Gender, age, education and average household income per capita have been used as indicators of socio-economic status. Data has been obtained with the questionnaire ‘Quality of Life in Slovenia - 1994' on a representative sample of the Slovenian population. The hypothesis has been tested on a sample of respondents aged from 18 to 75 years, using the chi-square test and multiple regression analysis. Results demonstrate that most women (87%) and men (85%) have at least one habit that can be considered harmful to the health. Men tend to have more health endangering habits than women. Gender, followed by age and education, has the highest explanatory power for engaging in high-risk behaviour as well as for the incidence of selfreported symptoms of illness. Average household income per capita has the lowest weight although, in most cases, it is statistical significant. The relations between socio-economic status and health indicators are greater for women than for men.

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