IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/plo/pone00/0040664.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Socioeconomic Status and Health Communication Inequalities in Japan: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Survey

Author

Listed:
  • Yoshiki Ishikawa
  • Hiromu Nishiuchi
  • Hana Hayashi
  • Kasisomayajula Viswanath

Abstract

Background: Considerable evidence suggests that communication inequality is one potential mechanism linking social determinants, particularly socioeconomic status, and health inequalities. This study aimed to examine how dimensions of health communication outcomes (health information seeking, self-efficacy, exposure, and trust) are patterned by socioeconomic status in Japan. Methods: Data of a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of 2,455 people aged 15–75 years in Japan were used for secondary analysis. Measures included socio-demographic characteristics, subjective health, recent health information seeking, self-efficacy in seeking health information, and exposure to and trust in health information from different media. Results: A total of 1,311 participants completed the questionnaire, giving a response rate of 53.6%. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that education and household income, but not employment, were significantly associated with health information seeking and self-efficacy. Socioeconomic status was not associated with exposure to and trust in health information from mass media, but was significantly associated with health information from healthcare providers and the Internet. Conclusion: Health communication outcomes were patterned by socioeconomic status in Japan thus demonstrating the prevalence of health communication inequalities. Providing customized exposure to and enhancing the quality of health information by considering social determinants may contribute to addressing social disparities in health in Japan.

Suggested Citation

  • Yoshiki Ishikawa & Hiromu Nishiuchi & Hana Hayashi & Kasisomayajula Viswanath, 2012. "Socioeconomic Status and Health Communication Inequalities in Japan: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Survey," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(7), pages 1-9, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0040664
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0040664
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0040664
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0040664&type=printable
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1371/journal.pone.0040664?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kasisomayajula Viswanath & Leland K Ackerson, 2011. "Race, Ethnicity, Language, Social Class, and Health Communication Inequalities: A Nationally-Representative Cross-Sectional Study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(1), pages 1-8, January.
    2. Kagamimori, Sadanobu & Gaina, Alexandru & Nasermoaddeli, Ali, 2009. "Socioeconomic status and health in the Japanese population," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 68(12), pages 2152-2160, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Man Ping Wang & Xin Wang & Tai Hing Lam & Kasisomayajula Viswanath & Sophia S Chan, 2013. "Health Information Seeking Partially Mediated the Association between Socioeconomic Status and Self-Rated Health among Hong Kong Chinese," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(12), pages 1-7, December.
    2. Man Ping Wang & Kasisomayajula Viswanath & Tai Hing Lam & Xin Wang & Sophia S Chan, 2013. "Social Determinants of Health Information Seeking among Chinese Adults in Hong Kong," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(8), pages 1-7, August.
    3. Yong-Bing Liu & Liu Liu & Yan-Fei Li & Yan-Li Chen, 2015. "Relationship between Health Literacy, Health-Related Behaviors and Health Status: A Survey of Elderly Chinese," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-12, August.
    4. Yasuo Imanishi & Shingo Fukuma & Angelo Karaboyas & Bruce M Robinson & Ronald L Pisoni & Takanobu Nomura & Takashi Akiba & Tadao Akizawa & Kiyoshi Kurokawa & Akira Saito & Shunichi Fukuhara & Masaaki , 2017. "Associations of employment status and educational levels with mortality and hospitalization in the dialysis outcomes and practice patterns study in Japan," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(3), pages 1-11, March.
    5. Sato, Koryu & Viswanath, Kasisomayajula & Hayashi, Hana & Ishikawa, Yoshiki & Kondo, Katsunori & Shirai, Kokoro & Kondo, Naoki & Nakagawa, Keisuke & Kawachi, Ichiro, 2019. "Association between exposure to health information and mortality: Reduced mortality among women exposed to information via TV programs," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 221(C), pages 124-131.
    6. Li, LiLi & Zeng, Yiwu & Zhang, Zhonggen, 2020. "Impact of Internet use on Health outcomes of Rural Residents: Evidence from China," 2020 Annual Meeting, July 26-28, Kansas City, Missouri 304177, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Duncan Gillespie & Meredith Trotter & Shripad Tuljapurkar, 2014. "Divergence in Age Patterns of Mortality Change Drives International Divergence in Lifespan Inequality," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 51(3), pages 1003-1017, June.
    2. Rohini Chakravarthy & Sarah C Stallings & Michael Williams & Megan Hollister & Mario Davidson & Juan Canedo & Consuelo H Wilkins, 2020. "Factors influencing precision medicine knowledge and attitudes," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(11), pages 1-14, November.
    3. Kino, Shiho & Jang, Soong-nang & Takahashi, Shuko & Ebner, Daniel K. & Kawachi, Ichiro, 2020. "Socioeconomic disparities in self-rated health in two East Asian countries: Comparative study between Japan and Korea," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 253(C).
    4. Takaku, Reo, 2020. "Reversal pattern of health inequality: New evidence from a large-scale national survey in Japan," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(11), pages 1254-1262.
    5. Tasuku Okui, 2020. "Socioeconomic Disparities in All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality Rates among Municipalities in Japan, 1999–2019," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-11, December.
    6. Hiyoshi, Ayako & Fukuda, Yoshiharu & Shipley, Martin J. & Brunner, Eric J., 2014. "Health inequalities in Japan: The role of material, psychosocial, social relational and behavioural factors," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 201-209.
    7. Rong Fu & Haruko Noguchi & Shuhei Kaneko & Akira Kawamura & Cheolmin Kang & Hideto Takahashi & Nanako Tamiya, 2019. "How do cardiovascular diseases harm labor force participation? Evidence of nationally representative survey data from Japan, a super-aged society," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(7), pages 1-16, July.
    8. Ningyuan Guo & Ziqiu Guo & Shengzhi Zhao & Sai Yin Ho & Daniel Yee Tak Fong & Agnes Yuen Kwan Lai & Sophia Siu-chee Chan & Man Ping Wang & Tai Hing Lam, 2021. "Digital inequalities in health information seeking behaviors and experiences in the age of web 2.0: A population-based study in Hong Kong," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(3), pages 1-16, March.
    9. Li, LiLi & Zeng, Yiwu & Zhang, Zhonggen, 2020. "Impact of Internet use on Health outcomes of Rural Residents: Evidence from China," 2020 Annual Meeting, July 26-28, Kansas City, Missouri 304177, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    10. Aizawa, Toshiaki & Helble, Matthias, 2015. "Health and Home Ownership: Findings for the Case of Japan," ADBI Working Papers 525, Asian Development Bank Institute.
    11. Man Ping Wang & Xin Wang & Tai Hing Lam & Kasisomayajula Viswanath & Sophia S Chan, 2013. "Health Information Seeking Partially Mediated the Association between Socioeconomic Status and Self-Rated Health among Hong Kong Chinese," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(12), pages 1-7, December.
    12. Narimasa Kumagai & Seiritsu Ogura, 2014. "Persistence of physical activity in middle age: a nonlinear dynamic panel approach," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 15(7), pages 717-735, September.
    13. Barbara Gomez-Aguinaga & Ana L. Oaxaca & Matt A. Barreto & Gabriel R. Sanchez, 2021. "Spanish-Language News Consumption and Latino Reactions to COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-15, September.
    14. Yasuo Imanishi & Shingo Fukuma & Angelo Karaboyas & Bruce M Robinson & Ronald L Pisoni & Takanobu Nomura & Takashi Akiba & Tadao Akizawa & Kiyoshi Kurokawa & Akira Saito & Shunichi Fukuhara & Masaaki , 2017. "Associations of employment status and educational levels with mortality and hospitalization in the dialysis outcomes and practice patterns study in Japan," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(3), pages 1-11, March.
    15. Shinjo, Daisuke & Aramaki, Toshiharu, 2012. "Geographic distribution of healthcare resources, healthcare service provision, and patient flow in Japan: A cross sectional study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(11), pages 1954-1963.
    16. Nishikitani, Mariko & Tsurugano, Shinobu & Inoue, Mariko & Yano, Eiji, 2012. "Effect of unequal employment status on workers’ health: Results from a Japanese national survey," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(3), pages 439-451.
    17. Nakamura, Sayaka, 2014. "Parental income and child health in Japan," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 42-55.
    18. Bibha Dhungel & Tomoe Murakami & Koji Wada & Shunya Ikeda & Stuart Gilmour, 2022. "Difference in Mortality Rates by Occupation in Japanese Male Workers Aged 25 to 64 Years from 1980 to 2015," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-11, September.
    19. Man Ping Wang & Kasisomayajula Viswanath & Tai Hing Lam & Xin Wang & Sophia S Chan, 2013. "Social Determinants of Health Information Seeking among Chinese Adults in Hong Kong," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(8), pages 1-7, August.
    20. Seitetsu L Lee & Hideki Hashimoto & Takahide Kohro & Hiromasa Horiguchi & Daisuke Koide & Issei Komuro & Kiyohide Fushimi & Tsutomu Yamazaki & Hideo Yasunaga, 2014. "Influence of Municipality-Level Mean Income on Access to Aortic Valve Surgery: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study under Japan's Universal Health-Care Coverage," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(10), pages 1-8, October.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0040664. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: plosone (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.