Urban-rural, age and gender differences in health behaviours in the Chinese population: findings from a survey in Hubei, China.

摘要

Introduction Health behaviours are affected by socio-economic status, such as income and education, and socio-demographic characteristic factors1'2 as well as cultural values.3 Researchers have pointed out that, in order to have a better understanding of health behaviours and to develop better prevention strategies, it is important to address the social and historical context within which health behaviour is inextricably linked.4 One prominent issue in China is urban-rural differences. In addition, there are many socio-economic, health, and cultural differences across various age groups due to the political and economic changes that have occurred over the past several decades. The gap in health status is widening between urban and rural residents in China because most adults living in urban areas have health insurance, pension coverage, and state provisions based on employment status, whereas