Abstract
This study aimed to examine whether contextual social deprivation is independently associated with health outcomes. A cross-sectional, multistage sampling design was employed to interview participants from six selected cities in China. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect data on individual socioeconomic characteristics and contextual social deprivation. Multilevel logistic regression models were used to assess the association between social deprivation and self-rated health. A total of 5,782 valid questionnaires were collected in this study. The prevalence of poor health was 5.3% (95% CI [4.2%, 6.3%]). Multilevel logistic regression analysis revealed a negative association between social deprivation and self-rated health. The odds ratios for contextual social deprivation scores of 2, 3, and 4 were 1.89 [1.31, 2.72], 4.21 [2.55, 6.94], and 4.63 [2.77, 7.73], respectively. This study offers new insights into the impact of social deprivation on poor health among urban male residents in China. The research emphasizes the urgent need to address poor health as a key measure to protect the well-being of socially and economically vulnerable populations.