TY - JOUR
T1 - Health lifestyles in Ukraine
AU - Cockerham, William C.
AU - Hinote, Brian P.
AU - Abbott, Pamela
AU - Haerpfer, Christian
N1 - Funding Information:
Data were collected by face-to-face interviews in the homes of respondents (N = 2 400) in Ukraine in November, 2001. The survey was conducted by the East Ukrainian Foundation for Social Research. This study is part of a larger project investigating health in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The research was funded by the Copernicus program of the European Union as part of the Living Conditions, Lifestyles and Health (LLH) Project through a grant provided to the Institute for Advanced Studies, Vienna, Austria. The survey consisted of a representative sample of the national adult Ukrainian population age 18 years and over. The sample was selected using multi-stage random sampling with stratification by region and area (urban/ rural). The number of interviews in each area was determined by its population size. There was no over-or under-sampling of subgroups. Persons in the military, prisoners, and the mentally disabled, along with persons institutionalized, hospitalized, and homeless were excluded. The number of primary sampling units was 136. Within each sampling unit an address was randomly selected as the starting point and participating households were selected utilizing standardized route procedures. Within each household, the adult with the nearest birthday was selected for interview. If after three visits (different times/days), there was no one at home, the next household on the route was selected until 2 400 interviews were completed. Quality control procedures included re-interviewing some respondents in person or by telephone to assess the quality of fieldwork. The percentage of eligible respondents not contacted after three visits was 9% and refusals after contact was 15%. The over-all response rate was 76%. Seven exogenous variables were employed in the analysis. (1) gender, (2) age, (3) marital status, (4) education, (5) disposable income, (6) occupation, and (7) employment status. Seven health lifestyle practices were used as dependent variables and arranged into a dichotomous format. (1) Frequent drinker, which measures the frequency at which the respondent consumes alcoholic drinks, is coded 2–3 times a week, once a week, once a month, once in 2–3 months, less often, and never = 0, and daily, almost daily, and 4–5 times a week = 1. (2) Heavy vodka drinker, measures how much vodka (the drink of preference) a drinker consumes, is coded as less than 100 grams at one occasion = 0, about 100 grams, about 200 grams, about 300 grams, half a liter, and more than half a liter at one occasion = 1. There is no clear consensus in the literature as to the best measure of heavy drinking, but our review of past studies and vodka’s high alcohol content (80 proof and higher), suggested a cut-off point of more than 100 grams (approximately 3.5 ounces) per occasion as constituting heavy drinking. Malyutina et al. (2002), for example, used 160 grams consumed at one occasion to measure binge drinking in Russia, so more than 100 grams appears to be a reasonable standard for heavy drinking. (3) Smoking measures use of cigarettes and is coded nonsmoker = 0, smoker = 1. Daily consumption of (4) meat, (5) vegetables, and (6) fruit is coded separately for each food item as seldom, occasionally (once per week), and 2–3 times a week = 0, daily = 1. The data did not include a satisfactory measure of exercise. However, an indicator of general health, (7) health status, is included. Health status is a
PY - 2005/8
Y1 - 2005/8
N2 - Objectives: Several studies have identified negative health lifestyles as a primary determinant of the mortality crisis in Europe's post-communist states, but little is known about Ukraine. In order to address this gap in the literature, this paper provides data on Ukrainian health lifestyles. Methods: Data were collected by face-to-face interviews in the households (N = 2 400) of a random sample of respondents in Ukraine in November, 2001. The sample was selected using multi-stage random sampling with stratification by region and area (urban/rural). Data were analyzed using logistic regression. Results: Male gender was found to be the most powerful single predictor of negative health lifestyles as shown in the results for frequent drinking, heavy vodka use at one occasion, smoking, and diet. Males rated their health status better than females, but over one-third of the males and one-half of the females rated their health status as rather bad or bad. Conclusions: Gender and class differences in health lifestyle practices appear to be key variables, with working-class males showing the most negative practices. The results for health status suggest that the overall level of health in Ukraine is not good.
AB - Objectives: Several studies have identified negative health lifestyles as a primary determinant of the mortality crisis in Europe's post-communist states, but little is known about Ukraine. In order to address this gap in the literature, this paper provides data on Ukrainian health lifestyles. Methods: Data were collected by face-to-face interviews in the households (N = 2 400) of a random sample of respondents in Ukraine in November, 2001. The sample was selected using multi-stage random sampling with stratification by region and area (urban/rural). Data were analyzed using logistic regression. Results: Male gender was found to be the most powerful single predictor of negative health lifestyles as shown in the results for frequent drinking, heavy vodka use at one occasion, smoking, and diet. Males rated their health status better than females, but over one-third of the males and one-half of the females rated their health status as rather bad or bad. Conclusions: Gender and class differences in health lifestyle practices appear to be key variables, with working-class males showing the most negative practices. The results for health status suggest that the overall level of health in Ukraine is not good.
KW - Health lifestyles
KW - Ukraine
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U2 - 10.1007/s00038-005-3171-x
DO - 10.1007/s00038-005-3171-x
M3 - Article
C2 - 16167510
AN - SCOPUS:25844498382
SN - 0303-8408
VL - 50
SP - 264
EP - 271
JO - Sozial- und Praventivmedizin
JF - Sozial- und Praventivmedizin
IS - 4
ER -