Social determinants of health--a question of social or economic capital? Interaction effects of socioeconomic factors on health outcomes.

Social structures and socioeconomic patterns are the major determinants of population health. However, very few previous studies have simultaneously analysed the "social" and the "economic" indicators when addressing social determinants of health. We focus on the relevance of economic and social capital as health determinants by analysing various indicators.

Economic hardships in adulthood and mental health in Sweden. The Swedish National Public Health Survey 2009.

Background: Possible accumulative effects of a combined economic hardship's measure, including both income and non-income related economic hardships measures, on mental health has not been well investigated. The aim of this paper was to investigate; (i) independent associations between multiple measures of economic hardships and mental health problems, and (ii) associations between a combined economic hardships measure and mental health problems.

Methods: We analysed data from the 2009 Swedish National Survey of Public Health comprising a randomly selected representative national sample combined with a randomly selected supplementary sample from four county councils and three municipalities consisting of 23,153 men and 28,261 women aged 16-84 years.

What has trust in the health-care system got to do with psychological distress? Analyses from the national Swedish survey of public health.

Objective: Mental health disorders are a rapidly growing public health problem. Despite the fact that lack of trust in the health-care system is considered to be an important determinant of health, there is scarcity of empirical evidence demonstrating its associations with health outcomes. This is the first study which aims to evaluate the association between trust in the health-care system and psychological distress.

Institutional trust and alcohol consumption in Sweden: the Swedish National Public Health Survey 2006.

Background: Trust as a measure of social capital has been documented to be associated with health. Mediating factors for this association are not well investigated. Harmful alcohol consumption is believed to be one of the mediating factors.

Is cumulative exposure to economic hardships more hazardous to women's health than men's? A 16-year follow-up study of the Swedish Survey of Living Conditions.

Background: Previous research has shown an association between cumulative economic hardships and various health outcomes. However, the cumulative effects of economic hardships in regard to gender differences have not been given enough attention.

Methods: 1981 women and 1799 men were followed up over a period of 16 years (1981-1997), using data from the Swedish Survey of Living Conditions panel study.