Sense of community-belonging and health-behaviour change in Canada. Issue 3 (14th October 2010)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hystad, Perry; Carpiano, Richard M
• Is Part Of: Journal of epidemiology and community health. Volume 66:Issue 3(2012)
• Page Start: 277
• Page End: 283
• Publication Date: 2010-10-14
• Subjects: Health-behaviour change -- community-belonging -- contextual factors -- social capital -- primary prevention -- health behaviour -- multilevel modelling; Public health -- Periodicals; Epidemiology -- Periodicals; 614.4
• DOI: 10.1136/jech.2009.103556
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0143-005X

Abstract

Abstract : Background: Research indicates that primary prevention targeting individual behaviours should incorporate contextual factors. The objectives of this study are to examine the role of community-belonging and contextual factors on health-behaviour change in Canada, and whether the influence of community-belonging on behaviour change varies by specific types of behaviours and contextual factors. Methods: Data on individual-level community-belonging, socio-demographics and self-rated health were obtained for 119 693 respondents from the 2007/2008 Canadian Community Health Survey located within 100 health regions across Canada. Contextual factors were based on health-region groupings of socio-economic determinants of health. Multilevel models were used to estimate the influence of community-belonging and health-region contextual factors on general, and specific, health-behaviour changes in the past year. Results: After controlling for individual and contextual factors, community-belonging showed a positive dose–response relationship with health-behaviour change. Health-region contextual factors were only slightly associated with behaviour change; however, the influence of community-belonging on behaviour change showed significant variability based on health-region contextual factors. The influence of community-belonging also varied by specific health-behaviour changes, but for most prominent health behaviours (exercise, weight loss and improved diet) the effect was consistent. Conclusions: Community-belonging was strongly related to health-behaviour change in Canada and may be an important component of population health prevention strategies. Efforts to increase community-belonging, however, need to be considered along with contextual factors.