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.

ABSTRACT: 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 p

SUBMITTER: Sodel CA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12839866 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature