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Are social inequalities in mortality in Britain narrowing? Time trends from 1978 to 2005 in a population-based study of older men

Lookup NU author(s): Professor Sheena Ramsay

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Abstract

Objective: To examine whether social inequalities in all-cause and coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality in Britain have reduced between 1978 and 2005. Design: A prospective study of a socioeconomically representative population. Setting: 24 British towns. Participants: 7735 Men, aged 40-59 years at recruitment in 1978-1980 and followed up until 2005 through the National Health Service Central Register (164 120 person-years). Main outcome measures: Relative hazards and absolute risk differences for all-cause and CHD death comparing manual with non-manual social classes, calculated for different calendar periods. Results: 3009 Deaths from all causes (1003 from CHD) occurred during follow-up. The overall hazard ratio (manual versus non-manual) was 1.56 (95% CI 1.45 to 1.69, p<0.001) for all-cause mortality and 1.54 (95% CI 1.35 to 1.76, p<0.001) for CHD mortality. The relative difference between these social groups tended to increase over time. The overall relative increase in hazard ratio comparing manual with non-manual groups over a 20-year calendar period was 1.22 (95% CI 0.83 to 1.80, p = 0.31) for all-cause mortality and 1.75 (95% CI 0.89 to 3.45, p = 0.11) for CHD mortality. The absolute difference in probability of survival to age 65 years between non-manual and manual groups fell from 29% in 1981 to 19% in 2001 for all-cause mortality and from 17% to 7% for CHD mortality. Conclusion: Relative differences in all-cause and CHD mortality between manual and non-manual social class groups persisted and may have increased during this period. Absolute differences in mortality between these social groups decreased as a result of falling overall mortality rates. Greater effort is needed to reduce social inequalities in all-cause and CHD mortality in the new millennium.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Ramsay SE, Morris RW, Lennon LT, Wannamethee SG, Whincup PH

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health

Year: 2008

Volume: 62

Issue: 1

Pages: 75-80

Print publication date: 01/01/2008

Online publication date: 13/12/2007

ISSN (print): 0143-005X

ISSN (electronic): 1470-2738

Publisher: BMJ Group

URL: https://doi.org/10.1136/jech.2006.053207

DOI: 10.1136/jech.2006.053207

PubMed id: 18079337

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