LIFE-STYLE, HEALTH AND SOCIAL-CLASS IN ADOLESCENCE

The paper considers mechanisms for indirect health selection in adoles cence, as part of the explanation for health inequalities between soci al groups. Aspects of adolescent lifestyles are identified as potentia lly important factors for the production of class based differences in adult health status. Survey data from a Scottish longitudinal study o f adolescent socialization and lifestyles are utilized in order to loc ate such health lifestyle factors within the wider contexts of the ind ividual's personal and social environment at this stage of the life cy cle. Relationships and attitudes to family, school and peers in middle adolescence at 15-16 years of age are first examined, and distinctive patterns of integration within these contexts are identified. The int er-connections between these broader aspects of lifestyle, social clas s and individual health behaviours are then examined. Mid-adolescent p atterns of social integration are found to have a clear structural bas is, and most importantly, they anticipate social position in later ado lescence at 17-18 years of age. It is also found that such patterns of integration into the family, peer and school contexts are linked to s ubsequent health related behaviours and to self assessed health in lat er adolescence, and that these links are independent of the young pers on's social class background. Thus, we conclude that behavioural-cultu ral lifestyle factors, when these are located within a broader social context, provide a clear and plausible mechanism for indirect health s election in adolescence.