DATA INSIGHTS - Youth Movements, Social Mobility and Health Inequalities

It is widely accepted that a person’s socioeconomic position is an important determining factor for later-life health and so understanding its production is a key public health issue. A person’s socioeconomic status (SES) is usually measured by assessing three variables; income, occupation and education.

Whilst the UK’s school-based education system is aimed at producing a fair distribution of socioeconomic position in later life, there is growing evidence that skills, such as motivation, team working and self-esteem gained outside of the formal education system, may be as important.

Using data from The Aberdeen Children of the 1950s (ACONF), Laurie and her fellow researchers are investigating whether being part of youth groups and clubs, could result in better health and increase later-life social mobility.

This Data Insights explores whether participation in youth movements and other club activities leads to better adult health either directly or via improving socioeconomic position in adulthood, whilst taking into account factors that might also affect socioeconomic position, such as home environment and schooling.

Further research will also be carried out by Laurie and her research colleagues to explore whether taking part in clubs as a young person is associated with better mental health as an adult.

Further Information

Read the full Data Insights to find out more about this research project.

For more details on The Aberdeen Children of the 1950s (ACONF) data and cohort, please visit their website.