Diabetes mellitus mortality in Spanish cities: Trends and geographical inequalities.

AIM: To analyze the geographical pattern of diabetes mellitus (DM) mortality and its association with socioeconomic factors in 26 Spanish cities. METHODS: We conducted an ecological study of DM mortality trends with two cross-sectional cuts (1996-2001; 2002-2007) using census tract (CT) as the unit of analysis. Smoothed standardized mortality rates (sSMR) were calculated using Bayesian models, and a socioeconomic deprivation score was calculated for each CT. RESULTS: In total, 27,757 deaths by DM were recorded, with higher mortality rates observed in men and in the period 1996-2001. For men, a significant association between CT deprivation score and DM mortality was observed in 6 cities in the first study period and in 7 cities in the second period. The highest relative risk was observed in Pamplona (RR, 5.13; 95% credible interval (95%CI), 1.32-15.16). For women, a significant association between CT deprivation score and DM mortality was observed in 13 cities in the first period and 8 in the second. The strongest association was observed in San Sebastián (RR, 3.44; 95%CI, 1.25-7.36). DM mortality remained stable in the majority of cities, although a marked decrease was observed in some cities, including Madrid (RR, 0.67 and 0.64 for men and women, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate clear inequalities in DM mortality in Spain. These inequalities remained constant over time are were more marked in women. Detection of high-risk areas is crucial for the implementation of specific interventions.

Increase in socioeconomic inequalities in mortality in a Southern European region: a small-area ecological study.

BACKGROUND: This study sought to describe the total mortality trend by socioeconomic deprivation (SED) in the Madrid Autonomous Region, by sex and age group. METHODS: Cross-sectional ecological study by census tract, in two periods: 1994-2000 (P1) with SED of 1996 census and 2001-07 (P2) with SED of 2001 census. We calculated the relative risks (RRs) and their 95% credibility intervals (95% CIs) by SED quintile (Q), taking the quintile of least deprivation as reference. Besag-York-Mollié ecological regression models and the Integrated Nested Laplace Approximation procedure were applied. The absolute differences in age-standardized rates were compared by SED quintile. RESULTS: Inequalities decreased in young adults: among men aged 20-39 years, the RR in Q5 versus Q1 ranged from 2.73 (95% CI, 2.51-3.02) in P1 to 1.93 (95% CI, 1.76-2.15) in P2, due to the greater improvement in the most underprivileged groups. In contrast, there was an increase in SED-related mortality in the 40-79 age group. Among men aged 40-59 years, the RR in Q5 versus Q1 rose from 1.88 (95% CI, 1.76-2.02) in P1 to 2.29 (95% CI, 2.17-2.43) in P2; the improvement was greater in the most privileged groups. CONCLUSION: In a context of an economic boom, inequalities were observed to increase among adults by a greater improvement in the most privileged groups.

[Trends and social inequalities in cervical cancer and breast cancer screening in Madrid: Non-Commumicable Disease Risk FactorSurveillance System (SIVFRENT-A) from 1995 to 2010]. / Tendencias y desigualdades sociales en el cribado de cáncer de cérvix y cáncer de mama en la Comunidad de Madrid duranteel periodo 1995-2010 a partir del Sistema de Vigilancia deFactores de Riesgo de enfermedades no transmisibles (SIVFRENT-A).

BACKGROUND: The assessment of preventive programs is necessary to support the decisions made in public health. There are few research studies that evaluate the degree of implementation and equity of cancer screening in Spain. The objective was to describe trends and inequalities in cervical and breast cancer screening according social determinants of health. METHODS: An analysis was carried out on the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System of Community of Madrid data, obtained between 1995 and 2000 from telephone surveys conducted on a population between ages 18 to 65, were analyzed. The years were grouped into four periods: P1 to P4. The trends were estimated with prevalence ratios (PR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI), obtained through generalized linear models with binomial family and logarithmic link. The inequalities were estimated with differences of proportions (DP) with 95% CI. RESULTS: An increased in mammograms is seen especially in women with low education (PR P4/P1: 1.93; 95%CI 1.62 to 2.3), this trend more discreet in cytology (PR P4/P1: 1.28; 95%CI 1.11 to 1.47). However mammograms have not increased over in the past 5 years (PR P4/P3: 1.02; 95% CI 0.99 to 1.04). Inequalities get better, but show an increase in the last period. CONCLUSIONS: All groups increase in preventative behaviors and those who did not, had a high prevalence from the start.Itis worth mentioning the stagnation of mammography in disadvantaged women in the period 2007-2010. There was a social gradient for preventive preventative measures, which was lower in the population-basedscreening (mammography) than in the opportunistic one (cytology).

Evolution of socio-economic inequalities in mortality in small geographical areas of the two largest cities in Spain (Barcelona and Madrid), 1996-2007.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the evolution of socio-economic inequalities in mortality in small areas of two Spanish cities (Barcelona and Madrid) from 1996 to 2001 and from 2002 to 2007. STUDY DESIGN: A small-area ecological study of trends was performed, in which the units of analysis were census tracts. METHODS: The association between mortality and socio-economic deprivation was assessed through Poisson regression analysis. Models were stratified by sex, age group and period of study. The trend in inequalities in mortality was assessed by introducing an interaction term between deprivation and the period of study. RESULTS: Mortality in the most-deprived areas was significantly higher than mortality in the less-deprived areas in both periods and most age groups. However, inequalities seemed to diminish in young people and elderly women, especially in Barcelona. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need to monitor inequalities in mortality in the near future because the current financial crisis could change this situation.

Deaths in collective dwellings and inequalities in small-area mortality: an ecological study in the Madrid region (Spain).

BACKGROUND: Increasing numbers of elderly persons reside and die in institutions, yet there are few studies that analyse the effect of this on mortality in small areas and its ensuing effect on the association between material deprivation and mortality. METHODS: A cross-sectional, ecological study in the region of Madrid covering 3906 census tracts (median 1000 inhabitants), using mortality data for 1996-2003 and socioeconomic deprivation from the 2001 census. Standardised mortality ratios (SMR) were calculated for each census tract. Using the Besag-York-Mollié model, RR of dying and their 95% CI according to the deprivation index considered (with the fourth quartile, Q, being the most unfavourable situation) were calculated for deaths among: the total population and the population excluding residents who died in institutions. RESULTS: 6% of the deceased had been residing in institutions, which affected 16.5% of census sections (644) and accounted for 17% of the variability in SMR among men and 10% among women, p<0.001. Mortality increased with socioeconomic deprivation, whereas the RR for the total population in Q4 with respect to Q1 was 1.46 among men (95% CI 1.41 to 1.50) and 1.12 among women (95% CI 1.08 to 1.17), these figures rose to 1.48 (95% CI 1.43 to 1.53) and 1.14 (95% CI 1.10 to 1.18), respectively, for the population excluding residents who died in institutions. CONCLUSIONS: Deaths of residents in institutions affect the variation in small-area mortality, and confound the relationship between mortality and socioeconomic deprivation. This variable should be recorded in mortality statistics so that its effect can be controlled for in subsequent analyses.

Census tract socioeconomic and physical environment and cardiovascular mortality in the Region of Madrid (Spain).

BACKGROUND: Features of the area might contribute to differences in cardiovascular mortality. The census tract distribution of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and cerebrovascular disease mortality in the Region of Madrid and its association with deprivation and environmental variables were examined in this study. METHODS: Cross-sectional, ecological study covering 3906 census tracts (median of around 1000 inhabitants), using mortality data (population aged <75 years) for 1996-2003, as well as socioeconomic deprivation and other environmental indicators (subjective perceptions of pollution, background noise, lack of green spaces and delinquency) drawn from the 2001 census. Standardised mortality ratios were calculated. Smoothed census tract relative risks were calculated using the Besag-York-Mollié model. Relative risks (RRs) of dying and their 95% credibility intervals (95% CI) were calculated according to the indicators considered (with the fourth quartile, Q, being the most unfavourable situation). Maps were plotted depicting the distribution of the posterior probability of RR>1. RESULTS: Census tracts with excess mortality were mostly located in the city of Madrid. Mortality increased with deprivation: RRs of IHD and stroke mortality in Q4 with respect to Q1 were 1.42 (95% CI 1.31 to 1.54) and 1.66 (95% CI 1.45 to 1.88) for men, and 1.54 (95% CI 1.33 to 1.79) and 1.52 (95% CI 1.29 to 1.76) for women respectively. Associations with deprivation decreased only slightly when perceived lack of green spaces and delinquency were included in the model. In men, subjective perceptions of areas remained associated with cardiovascular mortality after adjustment for deprivation. CONCLUSION: Deprivation and subjective perceptions of physical environmental characteristics are ecologically associated with cardiovascular disease mortality.