Health inequalities in german higher education: a cross-sectional study reveals poorer health in first-generation university students and university students with lower subjective social status

• Corinna A. Södel ^[1] ; Marga Motzkau ^[1] ; Marcel Wilfert ^[1] ; Raphael M. Herr ^[1] ; Katharina Diehl ^[1]
  1. [1] University of Erlangen-Nuremberg

     University of Erlangen-Nuremberg

     Kreisfreie Stadt Erlangen, Alemania

     
• Localización: EJIHPE: European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education, ISSN 2174-8144, ISSN-e 2254-9625, Vol. 16, Nº. 1, 2026, págs. 11-11
• Idioma: inglés
• DOI: 10.3390/ejihpe16010011
• Enlaces
  • Texto completo
• Resumen

  • University students worldwide experience considerable health challenges. We examined health inequalities in a nationwide, gender-balanced sample of 1105 German students, considering negative (stress, depression, burnout) and positive health outcomes (self-rated health [SRH], well-being) alongside vertical (subjective social status [SSS], parental academic background) and horizontal (gender) determinants. Analyses used bivariate statistics, multivariate regressions, and interaction terms. Higher SSS was associated with better SRH (β = 0.322) and well-being (β = 0.355), and lower stress (β = −0.154), depression (β = −0.127), and burnout (β = −0.219). First-generation students reported highly significant poorer SRH and well-being than students with one (β = 0.114; β = 0.112) or two academic parents (β = 0.162; β = 0.192). Students with two academic parents showed lower stress (β = −0.087, p = 0.007) and burnout (β = −0.099, p = 0.002). Interactions suggest a protective effect of higher SSS on depression (β = −0.219, p = 0.026) and burnout (β = −0.264, p = 0.006), more pronounced among male students, who additionally benefited more from an academic household regarding SRH (β = 0.100, p = 0.044). These findings underscore intersectional and multifaceted inequalities among German students and the need for interventions.

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