Socioeconomic status, perception of environment, and their association with self-rated health status among women in Bogota, Colombia

Objective. Evaluate a conceptual model that suggests an association between socioeconomic status (SES), perception of neighborhood environment, physical activity behavior, and self-rated health status (SRHS) among women living in low-resource neighborhoods of Bogota, Colombia. Methods. A secondary source analysis of the first measurement of a community cluster trial was used to evaluate a program to encourage a higher consumption of fruits and vegetables and increase physical activity levels among homemakers in Bogota. Analyses were done using a multivariate multilevel logistic model to identify associations and confirm the mediations proposed in the conceptual model. Results. The adjusted models revealed that individual-level SES and neighborhood perception are inversely and significantly associated with suboptimal SRHS, while the association between physical activity and SRHS was not significant. Conclusions. The study findings underscore the importance of individual SES in assessment of health status and strengthen the evidence on the independent role of perception of neighborhood environment in the SRHS of women.