The new UK National Statistics Socio-Economic Classification (NS-SEC); investigating social class differences in self-reported health status

Background The new UK National Statistics Socio-Economic Classification (NS -SEC) is theoretically based on differences in employment relations and con ditions. Differences in employment relations could account for some of the often observed social class differences in health in the United Kingdom. Th is study investigates the associations of the NSSEC with a well-validated h ealth outcome measure - the Short Farm health survey (SF-36). Methods Data from the Oxford Healthy Lifestyles Survey in (OHLS III, n = 64 54), a cross-sectional survey of adult men and women aged 78-64 randomly se lected from the counties of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire an d Oxfordshire, were analysed. The associations of the NS-SEC with the SF-36 physical and mental summary scores are investigated in a series of regress ion models controlling for age, lifestyle factors, housing and neighbourhoo d conditions. Results There are significant social class differences in the SF-36 physica l and mental summary scores after controlling for age. When lifestyle, hous ing and neighbourhood conditions are controlled for, these differences redu ce to non-significance. Conclusion The NS-SEC shows significant social class differences in health, further evidence for its construct validity. Social class differences in h ousing, neighbourhood and lifestyle factors appear to have a large role in understanding class differences in health. As it is grounded in theory, the NS-SEC is likely to prove a valuable tool for explanations of inequalities in hearth.