The contribution of psychological distress to socio-economic differences in cause-specific mortality: a population-based follow-up of 28 years.
BMC Public Health
; 11: 138, 2011 Feb 28.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-21356041
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Psychological factors associated with low social status have been proposed as one possible explanation for the socio-economic gradient in health. The aim of this study is to explore whether different indicators of psychological distress contribute to socio-economic differences in cause-specific mortality.METHODS:
The data source is a nationally representative, repeated cross-sectional survey, "Health Behaviour and Health among the Finnish Adult Population" (AVTK). The survey results were linked with socio-economic register data from Statistics Finland (from the years 1979-2002) and mortality follow-up data up to 2006 from the Finnish National Cause of Death Register. The data included 32,451 men and 35,420 women (response rate 73.5%). Self-reported measures of depression, insomnia and stress were used as indicators of psychological distress. Socio-economic factors included education, employment status and household income. Mortality data consisted of unnatural causes of death (suicide, accidents and violence, and alcohol-related mortality) and coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality. Adjusted hazard ratios were calculated using the Cox regression model.RESULTS:
In unnatural mortality, psychological distress accounted for some of the employment status (11-31%) and income level (4-16%) differences among both men and women, and for the differences related to the educational level (5-12%) among men; the educational level was associated statistically significantly with unnatural mortality only among men. Psychological distress had minor or no contribution to socio-economic differences in CHD mortality.CONCLUSIONS:
Psychological distress partly accounted for socio-economic disparities in unnatural mortality. Further studies are needed to explore the role and mechanisms of psychological distress associated with socio-economic differences in cause-specific mortality.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Contexto em Saúde:
1_ASSA2030
/
2_ODS3
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Classe Social
/
Estresse Psicológico
/
Mortalidade
/
Causas de Morte
Tipo de estudo:
Health_economic_evaluation
/
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
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Risk_factors_studies
Aspecto:
Determinantes_sociais_saude
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Equity_inequality
Limite:
Adolescent
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Adult
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Female
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Humans
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Male
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Middle aged
País/Região como assunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
BMC Public Health
Ano de publicação:
2011
Tipo de documento:
Article