Determinants of self-rated health among highly educated Ukrainian women refugees in Czechia: analysis based on cross-sectional study in 2022.

BACKGROUND: Russia's military aggression against Ukraine set in motion a large number of refugees. Considerable amount of them came and stayed in Czechia. Refugees represent special vulnerable individuals often affected by war physically and psychologically. Due to the national regulations not allowing most of Ukrainian men aged 18-60 to leave the country, nowadays Ukrainian forced migration is relatively young and strongly gendered. Evidence suggests the higher probability for searching the safe refuge abroad among Ukrainian women with small children as well as those with relatively higher economic and cultural capital. The aim of this study is to identify the structural features of systemic risks associated with war migration by examining determinants of self-rated health among forcibly displaced highly educated Ukrainian women of productive age residing in Czechia. METHODS: Data from one wave of the panel survey among Ukrainian refugees in Czechia conducted in September 2022 was used. Determinants of self-rated health including self-reported diseases and healthcare factors, lifestyle, human and social capital, economic factors, and migration characteristics were analysed using binary logistic regression. RESULTS: About 45% highly educated Ukrainian women refugees in Czechia assessed their health as poor. The poor self-rated health was mostly associated with the number of diseases and depressive symptoms, and by social capital and economic factors. Having four and more diseases (OR = 13.26; 95%-CI: 5.61-31.35), showing some severe depressive symptoms (OR = 7.20; 95%-CI: 3.95-13.13), experiencing difficulties to seek help from others (OR = 2.25; 95%-CI: 1.20-4.23), living alone in a household (OR = 2.67; 95%-CI: 1.37-5.27), having severe material deprivation (OR = 2.70; 95%-CI: 1.35-5.41) and coming originally from the eastern part of Ukraine (OR = 2.96; 95%-CI: 1.34-6.55) increased the chance of these refugees to assess their health as poor. CONCLUSION: Social and economic determinants such as lack of social contacts for seeking help and material deprivation were found to be crucial for self-rated health and should be tackled via migration policies. Further, qualitative research is needed to better understand the mechanisms behind the factors affecting subjectively assessed health.

Impacts of COVID-19 pandemic through decomposition of life expectancy according to leading causes and place of death in Czechia.

While the direct effects of the pandemic are well documented, less is known about the indirect ones, including changes in healthcare provision or human behavior. This paper aims to study the impact of indirect consequences on mortality, focusing on two leading causes (cardiovascular diseases, COVID-19) and places of death in Czechia, during the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the most severely affected European countries. The analysis was performed using data from the Czech Statistical Office and the Institute of Health Information and Statistics. The study compares annual mortality changes during three time periods: pre-pandemic (2018-2019), pandemic beginning and peaking (2020-2021), and pandemic fading (2022). Pandemic years were covered by the WHO public health emergency of international concern. Abridged life tables were computed, and Pollard's decomposition was used to calculate the contributions of causes and places of death on annual differences in life expectancy. Seasonal decomposition of monthly time series revealed an increase in cardiovascular mortality at home or in social care facilities corresponding to limitations in healthcare. While COVID-19 had a systemic negative effect on life expectancy during the pandemic, the impact of cardiovascular mortality according to place of death changed over time. This study contributes to the evidence base of systemic risks during health crises and emergency response.

Health inequalities in post-COVID-19 outcomes among adults aged 50+ in Europe: has COVID-19 exposed divide between postcommunist countries and Western Europe?

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 affected people and countries disproportionately and continues to impact the health of people. The aim is to investigate protective health and socio-geographical factors for post-COVID-19 conditions in adults aged 50 years and older in Europe. METHODS: Using longitudinal data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe, collected from June to August 2021, protective factors against post-COVID-19 condition among 1909 respondents who self-reported a positive COVID-19 test result were investigated using multiple logistic regression models. RESULTS: Male adults living outside of Czechia, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia (Visegrad group, V4), who received the COVID-19 vaccination, tertiary or higher education, had a healthy weight (body mass index, BMI 18.5-24.9 kg/m2) and no underlying health condition/s, showed protective effects against post-COVID-19 condition. Health inequalities associated with BMI were observed in education attainment and comorbidities, with higher BMI having lower education attainment and higher comorbidities. Health inequality was particularly evident in individuals in V4 with higher obesity prevalence and lower attainment of higher education than those living in other regions in the study. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that healthy weight and higher education attainment are predictors associated with a lower incidence of post-COVID-19 condition. Health inequality associated with education attainment was particularly relevant in V4. Our results highlight health inequality in which BMI was associated with comorbidities and educational attainment. To reduce obesity prevalence among older people with lower education, raising awareness about the risks of obesity and providing assistance in maintaining a healthy weight are needed.

Body Mass Index and Risk for COVID-19-Related Hospitalization in Adults Aged 50 and Older in Europe.

Higher body mass index (BMI) has been associated with a higher risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate associations among BMI, underlying health conditions and hospital admission as well as the effects of COVID-19 vaccines in adults aged 50 years and older in Europe using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) which was collected from June to August 2021, shortly after the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic occurred in Europe. Survey data totalling 1936 individuals were used for statistical analyses to calculate the likelihood of hospitalization due to COVID-19 infection in relation to BMI, sociodemographic factors, comorbidities and COVID vaccination status. Approximately 16% of individuals testing positive for COVID-19 were hospitalized for COVID-19, and over 75% of these hospitalized individuals were either overweight or obese. The likelihood of hospitalization for individuals with obesity was approximately 1.5 times (CI [1.05-2.05]) higher than those with a healthy weight (BMI = 18.5-24.9 kg/m2) after adjusting for BMI, sex and age. After adjusting for sociodemographic factors, vaccination and comorbidities, the likelihood of hospitalization for individuals with obesity was 1.34 times higher than those with a healthy weight (CI [0.94-1.90]). Vaccine uptake was lowest in individuals with obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) in all age groups. Individuals who had not received a vaccine were 1.8 times more likely to be hospitalized (CI [1.34-2.30]). Across European regions, obesity is associated with higher odds of hospitalization, and vaccination may be effective to reduce these odds for older adults.

COVID-19: years of life lost (YLL) and saved (YLS) as an expression of the role of vaccination.

When evaluating vaccine efficacy, the conventional measures include reduction of risk of hospitalization and death. The number of patients dying with or without vaccination is often in the public spotlight. However, when evaluating public health interventions or the burden of disease, it is more illustrative to use mortality metrics taking into account also prematurity of the deaths, such as years of life lost (YLL) or years of life saved (YLS) thanks to the vaccination. We develop this approach for evaluation of the difference in YLL and YLS between COVID-19 victims with or without completed vaccination in the autumn pandemic wave (2021, October-December) in Czechia. For the analysis, individual data about all COVID-19 deaths in the country (N = 5797, during the studied period) was used. While 40.6% of the deaths are in cohorts with completed vaccination, this corresponds to 35.1% of years of life lost. The role of vaccination is expressed using YLS and hypothetical numbers of deaths. The registered number of deaths is approximately 3.5 times lower than it would be expected without vaccination. The results illustrate that vaccination is more effective in saving lives than suggested by simplistic comparisons.

The age structure of cases as the key of COVID-19 severity: Longitudinal population-based analysis of European countries during 150 days.

AIMS: Over a million confirmed cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) across 16 European countries were observed during the first wave of the pandemic. Epidemiological measures like the case fatality rate (CFR) are generally used to determine the severity of the illness. The aim is to investigate the impact of the age structure of reported cases on the reported CFR and possibilities of its demographic adjustment for a better cross-country comparison (age-standardized CFRs, time delay between cases detection and death). METHODS: This longitudinal study uses prospective, population-based data covering 150 days, starting on the day of confirmation of the 100th case in each country. COVerAGE-DB and the Human Mortality Database were used in this regard. The age-standardized CFRs were calculated with and without the time delay of the number of deaths after the confirmation of the cases. RESULTS: The observed decline in the CFRs at the end of the first wave is partly given by the changes in the age structure of confirmed cases. Using the adjusted (age-standardized) CFRs with time delay, the risk of death among confirmed cases is much more stable in comparison to crude (observed) CFRs. CONCLUSIONS: Preventing the spread of COVID-19 among the elderly is an important way to positively influence the overall fatality rate, decrease the number of deaths, and not overload the health systems. The crude CFRs (still often presented) are not sufficient for a proper evaluation of the development across populations nor as a means of identifying the influencing factors.

How health capabilities and government restrictions affect the COVID-19 pandemic: Cross-country differences in Europe.

The COVID-19 pandemic in the first months of 2020 posed an unprecedented threat to the health of the world's population. In this longitudinal design study, we elaborated the typology of 27 European countries based on the complete beginnings of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic based on health indicators and contextual variables. Two-step analysis using factor scores to run a cluster analysis identifying 5 consistent groups of countries. We then analyze the relationship between the GHS predictive index, the restrictions and health care expenditures within countries categorized into 5 clusters. An analysis of the early stages of a pandemic confirmed that in countries where anti-pandemic measures were rapidly and consistently in place, the spread of the virus was suppressed more rapidly and the first wave of pandemics in these countries was incomparably more benign than in countries with later responses and milder restrictive measures.

Socioeconomic Inequalities in Chronic Liver Diseases and Cirrhosis Mortality in European Urban Areas before and after the Onset of the 2008 Economic Recession.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the trends in chronic liver diseases and cirrhosis mortality, and the associated socioeconomic inequalities, in nine European cities and urban areas before and after the onset of the 2008 financial crisis. METHODS: This is an ecological study of trends in three periods of time: two before (2000-2003 and 2004-2008), and one after (2009-2014) the onset of the economic crisis. The units of analysis were the geographical areas of nine cities or urban areas in Europe. We analysed chronic liver diseases and cirrhosis standardised mortality ratios, smoothing them with a hierarchical Bayesian model by each city, area, and sex. An ecological regression model was fitted to analyse the trends in socioeconomic inequalities, and included the socioeconomic deprivation index, the period, and their interaction. RESULTS: In general, chronic liver diseases and cirrhosis mortality rates were higher in men than in women. These rates decreased in all cities during the financial crisis, except among men in Athens (rates increased from 8.50 per 100,000 inhabitants during the second period to 9.42 during the third). Socioeconomic inequalities in chronic liver diseases and cirrhosis mortality were found in six cities/metropolitan areas among men, and in four among women. Finally, in the periods studied, such inequalities did not significantly change. However, among men they increased in Turin and Barcelona and among women, several cities had lower inequalities in the third period. CONCLUSIONS: There are geographical socioeconomic inequalities in chronic liver diseases and cirrhosis mortality, mainly among men, that did not change during the 2008 financial crisis. These results should be monitored in the long term.

Socio-economic inequalities on cancer mortality in nine European areas: The effect of the last economic recession.

BACKGROUND: The effect of inequalities aggravated by economic recessions in the mortality rates of certain diseases has been previously described. In this study, we analyzed the relationship between socio-economic deprivation and cancer mortality. We focused on lung, colon, prostate, and breast cancers in nine European urban areas over three periods: two before (2000-2003 and 2004-2008) and one after (2009-2014) the onset of the 2008 financial crisis. METHODS: This is an ecological study of trends. The units of analysis were small areas within nine European urban areas. We used a composite deprivation index as a socio-economic indicator. As a mortality indicator, we used the smoothed standardized mortality ratio, calculated using the hierarchical Bayesian model proposed by Besag, York and Mollié. To analyze the evolution of socio-economic inequalities, we fitted an ecological regression model that included the socio-economic indicator, the period of time, and the interaction between these terms. RESULTS: In men, socio-economic inequalities in all-cancer and lung cancer mortality were observed in most of the cities studied, but did not increase after the onset of the economic crisis. In women, only two cities (Stockholm and London) showed socio-economic inequalities in all-cancer and lung cancer mortality; there was also no increase in inequalities. CONCLUSIONS: Our results did not validate our hypothesis that inequalities increase in times of crisis. However, they emphasize the importance of socio-economic measurements for understanding mortality inequalities, and can be used to inform prevention strategies and help plan local health programs aimed at reducing health inequalities.

Effect of the recent economic crisis on socioeconomic inequalities in mortality in nine urban areas in Europe.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse socioeconomic inequalities in all-cause mortality among men and women in nine European urban areas during the recent economic crisis, and to compare the results to those from two periods before the crisis. METHOD: This is an ecological study of trends based on three time periods (2000-2003, 2004-2008 and 2009-2014). The units of analysis were the small areas of nine European urban areas. We used a composite deprivation index as a socioeconomic indicator, along with other single indicators. As a mortality indicator, we used the smoothed standardized mortality ratio, calculated using the hierarchical Bayesian model proposed by Besag, York and Mollié. To analyse the evolution of socioeconomic inequalities, we fitted an ecological regression model that included the socioeconomic indicator, the period of time, and the interaction between these terms. RESULTS: We observed significant inequalities in mortality among men for almost all the socioeconomic indicators, periods, and urban areas studied. However, no significant changes occurred during the period of the economic crisis. While inequalities among women were less common, there was a statistically significant increase in inequality during the crisis period in terms of unemployment and the deprivation index in Prague and Stockholm, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Future analyses should also consider time-lag in the effect of crises on mortality and specific causes of death, and differential effects between genders.

Socioeconomic inequalities in suicide mortality in European urban areas before and during the economic recession.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have assessed the impact of the financial crisis on inequalities in suicide mortality in European urban areas. The objective of the study was to analyse the trend in area socioeconomic inequalities in suicide mortality in nine European urban areas before and after the beginning of the financial crisis. METHODS: This ecological study of trends was based on three periods, two before the economic crisis (2000-2003, 2004-2008) and one during the crisis (2009-2014). The units of analysis were the small areas of nine European cities or metropolitan areas, with a median population ranging from 271 (Turin) to 193 630 (Berlin). For each small area and sex, we analysed smoothed standardized mortality ratios of suicide mortality and their relationship with a socioeconomic deprivation index using a hierarchical Bayesian model. RESULTS: Among men, the relative risk (RR) comparing suicide mortality of the 95th percentile value of socioeconomic deprivation (severe deprivation) to its 5th percentile value (low deprivation) were higher than 1 in Stockholm and Lisbon in the three periods. In Barcelona, the RR was 2.06 (95% credible interval: 1.24-3.21) in the first period, decreasing in the other periods. No significant changes were observed across the periods. Among women, a positive significant association was identified only in Stockholm (RR around 2 in the three periods). There were no significant changes across the periods except in London with a RR of 0.49 (95% CI: 0.35-0.68) in the third period. CONCLUSIONS: Area socioeconomic inequalities in suicide mortality did not change significantly after the onset of the crisis in the areas studied.

Health Disparities in Czechia and Portugal at Country and Municipality Levels.

This article investigates the health outcomes and determinants between two different European populations, Portuguese and Czech, on two hierarchical levels: country and metropolitan area. At first, the decomposition method of age and cause of death were compared on the country level, and then health was examined based on a factor analysis at the municipality level of Prague and Lisbon. The results clearly indicate problematic diabetes mortality among the Portuguese population, and especially in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, and confirm the dominant role of circulatory mortality and cancer mortality among Czech, especially the Prague population. The social and economic deprivations were revealed as the major drivers for both metropolitan areas, although with differences between them, requiring interventions that go beyond the health sector.

Population Health Inequalities Across and Within European Metropolitan Areas through the Lens of the EURO-HEALTHY Population Health Index.

The different geographical contexts seen in European metropolitan areas are reflected in the uneven distribution of health risk factors for the population. Accumulating evidence on multiple health determinants point to the importance of individual, social, economic, physical and built environment features, which can be shaped by the local authorities. The complexity of measuring health, which at the same time underscores the level of intra-urban inequalities, calls for integrated and multidimensional approaches. The aim of this study is to analyse inequalities in health determinants and health outcomes across and within nine metropolitan areas: Athens, Barcelona, Berlin-Brandenburg, Brussels, Lisbon, London, Prague, Stockholm and Turin. We use the EURO-HEALTHY Population Health Index (PHI), a tool that measures health in two components: Health Determinants and Health Outcomes. The application of this tool revealed important inequalities between metropolitan areas: Better scores were found in Northern cities when compared with their Southern and Eastern counterparts in both components. The analysis of geographical patterns within metropolitan areas showed that there are intra-urban inequalities, and, in most cities, they appear to form spatial clusters. Identifying which urban areas are measurably worse off, in either Health Determinants or Health Outcomes, or both, provides a basis for redirecting local action and for ongoing comparisons with other metropolitan areas.

Mortality in the Visegrad countries from the perspective of socioeconomic inequalities.

OBJECTIVES: Large socioeconomic inequalities in health are still present in the Central Europe. The aim was to explore socioeconomic inequalities in mortality in Visegrad countries-the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia (V4), by three different socioeconomic indicators (unemployment, risk of poverty/social exclusion, education). The study was conducted within the H2020 Euro-Healthy project. METHODS: The associations between selected socioeconomic indicators and the standardised mortality rates by four main causes (mortality related to cancer, circulatory, respiratory and digestive system) in the economically active population aged 20-64 years in the 35 NUTS 2 level regions of the V4 in the period 2011-2013 were explored, using linear regression models. RESULTS: Lower education level was the most significant predictor of mortality in the V4. The lowest mortality rates by all causes of death were found in the regions of the Czech Republic, the highest in regions of Hungary. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the common origin, the pathways of the V4 countries in employment, poverty and education seem to be different, also having impact on health equity. Therefore, where you live in the V4 can significantly influence your health.

Cardiovascular health among the Czech population at the beginning of the 21st century: a 12-year follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: In the late 1980s, Czechia was among the countries which had the highest cardiovascular mortality in the world. In spite of enormous improvements since that time, there are still large opportunities in further improving cardiovascular health. METHODS: Based on the Czech Health, Alcohol and Psychosocial Factors in Eastern Europe sample (n=8449 at baseline, 12 years of follow-up, 494 cardiovascular disease (CVD) deaths up to 2015-events), the impact of selected covariates such as education, smoking habits, high blood pressure, blood cholesterol level, diabetes, obesity, physical activity and binge drinking and their multifactorial effects on cardiovascular mortality was evaluated by Cox regression. In addition, population attributable fractions (PAFs) were used to quantify the impact of these factors on CVD mortality in the population. RESULTS: Education was found as the strongest determinant of CVD mortality (primary vs university, HR 2.77, P<0.001; PAF=50.5%). CVD risk was two times higher for persons with diabetes compared with those without (HR 2.02, P<0.001, PAF=23.2%). Furthermore, significant factors found were smoking (smoker vs non-smoker, HR 1.91, P<0.001; PAF=26.5%), high blood pressure (HR 1.73, P<0.001; PAF=35.3%) and physical inactivity (none vs sufficient, HR 1.60, P<0.001; PAF=22.9%). Conversely, the effect of obesity was low (HR 1.29, P value =0.020), and binge drinking and high blood cholesterol level were not significant at all. CONCLUSIONS: Education had the largest impact on cardiovascular mortality among the Czech population. More than 50% of CVD death would be prevented if the whole population had the same risk values as the highest educated population. Reducing disparities in health related to education should benefit from attention to cardiovascular health literacy.

Social Hazards as Manifested Workplace Discrimination and Health (Vietnamese and Ukrainian Female and Male Migrants in Czechia).

Social hazards as one of the dimensions of workplace discrimination are a potential social determinant of health inequalities. The aim of this study was to investigate relations between self-reported health and social hazard characteristics (defined as-discrimination as such, violence or threat of violence, time pressure or work overload and risk of accident) among Vietnamese and Ukrainian migrants (males and females) in Czechia by age, education level and marital status. This study is based on data from a survey of 669 immigrants in Czechia in 2013. Logistic regression analysis indicates that the given independent variables (given social hazards and socio-demographic characteristics), as predictors of a quality of self-reported health are more important for immigrant females than for males, irrespective of citizenship, albeit only for some of them and to differing extents. We found out that being exposed to the selected social hazards in the workplace leads to worsening self-rated health, especially for females. On the other hand, there was no statistically significant relationship found between poor self-rated health and discrimination as such. Reality calls for more research and, consequently, better policies and practices in the field of health inequalities.

Occupational diseases in the automotive industry in Czechia - Geographic and medical context.

OBJECTIVES: The automotive industry represents the most important industrial sector in Czechia. The objective of this study has been to analyze the occurrence of occupational diseases (OD) in the automotive industry during the period from 2001 till 2014. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data on OD cases was retrieved from the National Registry of OD. Further, we conducted a survey in automotive companies with focus on occupational health services and positions of the companies in global production networks (GPNs). An analysis of OD distribution in the automotive industry was performed (age, gender, company size and its role in GPNs, regional distribution of studied companies, and regional unemployment rate), and was accompanied by assessment of the quality and range of occupational health services. RESULTS: Employees older than 40 years old have nearly 2.5 times higher probability of OD occurrence as compared with employees younger than 40 years old (odds ratio (OR) = 2.41, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.05-2.85). Occupational diseases occurrence probability was 3 times higher for women than for men (OR = 3.01, 95% CI: 2.55-3.55). Occupational diseases incidence rates increased with the size of the company (0 OD/10 000 employees in micro enterprises to 57 OD/10 000 employees in large enterprises). A particularly steep rise in OD incidents in the automotive industry was observed in the Plzen Region between 2001 and 2011. An association between OD incidents and the unemployment rate was not statistically confirmed. CONCLUSIONS: A statistically significant increase in OD incidents dependent on company size may be arguably attributed to a higher quality of occupational medical services in bigger companies, which ensures better detection and diagnosis of OD. In the Plzen Region, the rapid increase in OD incidents was mainly caused by a change in the production process of automobile textiles in one factory due to the introduction of a glue containing isocyanates, which are potent allergising agents. This led to an increase in occupational allergic diseases - bronchial asthma in particular. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2017;30(3):455-468.

Trends in socioeconomic inequalities in self-assessed health in 17 European countries between 1990 and 2010.

BACKGROUND: Between the 1990s and 2000s, relative inequalities in all-cause mortality increased, whereas absolute inequalities decreased in many European countries. Whether similar trends can be observed for inequalities in other health outcomes is unknown. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of trends in socioeconomic inequalities in self-assessed health (SAH) in Europe between 1990 and 2010. METHODS: Data were obtained from nationally representative surveys from 17 European countries for the various years between 1990 and 2010. The age-standardised prevalence of less-than-good SAH was analysed by education and occupation among men and women aged 30-79 years. Socioeconomic inequalities were measured by means of absolute rate differences and relative rate ratios. Meta-analysis with random-effects models was used to examine the trends of inequalities. RESULTS: We observed declining trends in the prevalence of less-than-good SAH in many countries, particularly in Southern and Eastern Europe and the Baltic states. In all countries, less-than-good SAH was more prevalent in lower educational and manual groups. For all countries together, absolute inequalities in SAH were mostly constant, whereas relative inequalities increased. Almost no country consistently experienced a significant decline in either absolute or relative inequalities. CONCLUSIONS: Trends in inequalities in SAH in Europe were generally less favourable than those found for inequalities in mortality, and there was generally no correspondence between the two when we compared the trends within countries. In order to develop policies or interventions that effectively reduce inequalities in SAH, a better understanding of the causes of these inequalities is needed.

Socioeconomic inequalities in cause-specific mortality in 15 European cities.

BACKGROUND: Socioeconomic inequalities are increasingly recognised as an important public health issue, although their role in the leading causes of mortality in urban areas in Europe has not been fully evaluated. In this study, we used data from the INEQ-CITIES study to analyse inequalities in cause-specific mortality in 15 European cities at the beginning of the 21st century. METHODS: A cross-sectional ecological study was carried out to analyse 9 of the leading specific causes of death in small areas from 15 European cities. Using a hierarchical Bayesian spatial model, we estimated smoothed Standardized Mortality Ratios, relative risks and 95% credible intervals for cause-specific mortality in relation to a socioeconomic deprivation index, separately for men and women. RESULTS: We detected spatial socioeconomic inequalities for most causes of mortality studied, although these inequalities differed markedly between cities, being more pronounced in Northern and Central-Eastern Europe. In the majority of cities, most of these causes of death were positively associated with deprivation among men, with the exception of prostatic cancer. Among women, diabetes, ischaemic heart disease, chronic liver diseases and respiratory diseases were also positively associated with deprivation in most cities. Lung cancer mortality was positively associated with deprivation in Northern European cities and in Kosice, but this association was non-existent or even negative in Southern European cities. Finally, breast cancer risk was inversely associated with deprivation in three Southern European cities. CONCLUSIONS: The results confirm the existence of socioeconomic inequalities in many of the main causes of mortality, and reveal variations in their magnitude between different European cities.

Perception of neighborhood environment and health risk behaviors in Prague's teenagers: a pilot study in a post-communist city.

BACKGROUND: A youths' neighborhood can play an important role in their physical, health, and emotional development. The prevalence of health risk behavior (HRB) in Czech youth such as smoking, drug and alcohol use is the highest in Europe. AIM: To analyze differences in HRB in youth residents within different types of Prague's neighborhoods in relation to the perception of the built environment, quality of their school and home environments. DATA AND METHODS: The data is based on the on-line survey among elementary school students aged between 14-15 years, which was administered in19 selected schools in Prague, during the months of October 2013 to March 2014. Respondents were asked their opinions on various issues related to their HRB, about their indoor and outdoor housing and school environments. The questionnaire was completed by 407 students. Factor analysis with a principal components extraction was applied to determine the underlying structure in the variables. A consequent field research was conducted to map the opportunity hot spots and critical places around the elementary schools. RESULTS: Binge drinking has been reported mainly by the students living in the housing estates with blocks of flats. The most frequent occurrence of daily smokers was found in the neighborhoods of old city apartment houses. High prevalence of risky marijuana use almost in all the surveyed types of neighborhoods. The respondents were more critical in their evaluation of school characteristics. The neighborhoods critically evaluated by the students as regards the school outdoor environments were the older apartment houses in the historical centre and inner city, the school indoor environment was worst assessed within the housing estate neighborhoods. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that perceptions of problems in both residential and school environment are associated with HRB. This fact makes this issue of a serious importance also from the policy point of view. Mainly the school surroundings have to be better managed by the local authorities responsible for the public space. This research thus forms part of the Sophie project aiming to find the most efficient policies that would tackle with the inequalities in the health and quality of life.