What Matters to You? A Qualitative Exploration of Health Within the Context of Daily Goals Among People With Low Socioeconomic Position

Objective. Socioeconomic health (behavior) disparities are a serious problem. To properly understand these disparities, we need to investigate health behavior within the context of daily life and the various interconnected daily goals. This will help us understand how health fits into the lives of people with low socioeconomic position (SEP) and how it shapes and is shaped by their daily goals and priorities. Therefore, we will explore the daily goals and goal prioritization of people with low SEP, and the role and meaning of health and health-related goals in people’s everyday lives. Methods. We conducted semi-structured interviews (n=20) with adults living in (Dutch) neighborhoods characterized by lower SEP. The qualitative data was analyzed thematically and inductively. Results. Participants viewed health as important and emphasized rest and mental well-being in their daily goals and health perceptions. Their daily goals focused on short-term needs and they experienced little agency in setting daily priorities. Daily responsibilities, financial constraints, and conflicting needs made both priority setting and healthy behavior difficult. Conclusion. To address health disparities, health interventions should contextualize health within the realities of daily life and emphasize mental well-being, rest, relaxation, which are key building blocks of health among people with low SEP.