California Cannabis Research Briefing, April 2023: Meeting Summary.

On April 28, 2023, the University of California Office of the President, in partnership with the California Department of Cannabis Control (DCC), hosted the California Cannabis Research Briefing. The California Cannabis Research Briefing brought together researchers and state agencies/policymakers to discuss pertinent policy issues on cannabis within the state. Researchers across six different topic areas (environment, cannabis markets, social equity matters, public health, medicinal cannabis use, and public safety) provided brief explanations of their research and its policy implications. A moderated discussion with stakeholders followed these presentations. The goals of this event were to highlight research that can inform policy issues relevant to the state, and to discuss how research can be incorporated into the cannabis policy landscape.

Increased Utilization of Low-Dose CT for Lung Cancer Screening at an Arkansas Community Oncology Clinic.

BACKGROUND: Low-dose CT (LDCT) is underused in Arkansas for lung cancer screening, a rural state with a high incidence of lung cancer. The objective was to determine whether offering free LDCT increased the number of high-risk individuals screened in a rural catchment area. METHODS: There were 5,402 patients enrolled in screening at Highlands Oncology, a community oncology clinic in Northwest Arkansas, from 2013 to 2020. Screenings were separated into time periods: period 1 (10 months for-fee), period 2 (10 months free with targeted advertisements and primary care outreach), and period 3 (62 months free with only primary care outreach). In all, 5,035 high-risk participants were eligible for analysis based on National Comprehensive Cancer Network Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology. Enrollment rates, incidence densities (IDs), Cox proportional hazard models, and Kaplan-Meier curves were performed to investigate differences between enrollment periods and high-risk groups. RESULTS: Patient volume increased drastically once screenings were offered free of charge (period 1 = 4.6 versus period 2 = 66.0 and period 3 = 69.8 average patients per month). Incidence density per 1,000 person-years increased through each period (IDPeriod 1 = 17.2; IDPeriod 2 = 20.8; IDPeriod 3 = 25.5 cases). Cox models revealed significant differences in lung cancer risk between high-risk groups (P = .012) but not enrollment periods (P = .19). Kaplan-Meier lung cancer-free probabilities differed significantly between high-risk groups (log-rank P = .00068) but not enrollment periods (log-rank P = .18). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that eligible patients are more receptive to free LDCT screening, despite most insurances not having a required copay for eligible patients.

A cross-sectional investigation of softening indicators among South African smokers: Results from the South African Social Attitudes Survey between 2007 and 2018.

Recent studies have shown softening among smokers in different countries and in different population groups i.e., as smoking prevalence declined remaining smokers made more quit attempts and smoked fewer cigarettes per day (CPD), as opposed to hardening. We examined tobacco use-related cross-sectional data from five waves of the South African Social Attitudes Survey (SASAS 2007-2018, N = 14,822). Accounting for the SASAS's complex survey design, we ran logistic and linear regressions for smoking prevalence, and for the following indicators of softening: plans to quit smoking within a month, time to first cigarette (5 min, TTFC) and cigarettes smoked per day (CPD). We controlled for survey wave, age, sex, race, marital status, educational level and urban/rural residence. Smoking prevalence remained stable from 2007 (20.7%) to 2018 (22.2%) in the overall population of smokers (p = 0.197), and within sex and race group of smokers. In the adjusted model, there was a significant decline in CPD over time, 0.12 cigarettes per year. There was also a significant decrease in TTFC among males over time. Among women, CPD declined significantly by 0.32 cigarettes per year. The proportion of Asians/Indians planning to quit also decreased over time. South African smokers do not consistently show significant change in the softening indicators overall. Stronger tobacco control policies and better-tailored smoking cessation interventions are needed to achieve a significant decrease in smoking prevalence across sex and other subpopulations in South Africa.

University of California Cannabis Research Workshop, May 2021: Meeting Summary.

This meeting report describes the University of California's (UC) Cannabis Research Workshop on May 26-27, 2021, which was organized by the UC Office of the President (UCOP) in partnership with the University of California, Davis (UCD). The event was designed to explore ways to strengthen research collaborations within and between campuses, discuss federal and state regulations and scientific priorities, and provide updates on current or recent cannabis and cannabinoid research studies. Topical areas were highlighted in four breakout sessions, including: 1) agronomy and environmental impacts; 2) biomedicine and public health; 3) economics, law, public policy, and social science; and 4) administrative considerations for supporting university research on cannabis and cannabinoids.

Menthol Smoking and Nicotine Dependence among Black/African American Women Smokers Living in Low-Resource, Rural Communities.

Black/African American women from low-resource, rural communities bear a disproportionate burden of tobacco-related morbidity and mortality. This study examined associations between menthol smoking and socioeconomic deprivation with nicotine dependence and quitting behaviors among Black/African American women cigarette and/or little cigar/cigarillo smokers, aged 18-50 living in low-resource, rural communities. Baseline survey data from a randomized controlled behavioral/intervention trial (#NCT03476837) were analyzed (n = 146). Outcomes included time to first tobacco product (cigarette/little cigar/cigarillo) use within 5 min of waking, Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) score, and ever attempting to quit cigarettes. Socioeconomic deprivation measures included education, income, and receiving supplemental nutritional assistance (SNAP) program benefits. In adjusted regression analyses, menthol smoking was associated with both greater FTND scores and time to first tobacco product use within 5 min of waking, but not ever attempting to quit cigarettes. Regardless of menthol status, only 25.0% of smokers reported that they would quit smoking if menthol cigarettes were banned. The proportion of smokers who smoked their first tobacco product within 5 min of waking increased slightly with greater socioeconomic deprivation. Additional research and targeted efforts are needed to reduce nicotine dependence among Black/African American women smokers living in rural, low-resource communities where access to cessation services is limited.

Uneven Access to Smoke-Free Laws and Policies and Its Effect on Health Equity in the United States: 2000-2019.

Tobacco control measures have played an important role in the reduction of the cigarette smoking prevalence among US adults.However, although overall smoking prevalence has declined, it remains high among many subpopulations that are disproportionately burdened by tobacco use, resulting in tobacco-related health disparities. Slow diffusion of smoke-free laws to rural regions, particularly in the South and Southeast, and uneven adoption of voluntary policies in single-family homes and multiunit housing are key policy variables associated with the disproportionate burden of tobacco-related health disparities in these subpopulations.Developing policies that expand the reach of comprehensive smoke-free laws not only will facilitate the decline in smoking prevalence among subpopulations disproportionately burdened by tobacco use but will also decrease exposure to secondhand smoke and further reduce tobacco-caused health disparities in the United States.

Similar softening across different racial and ethnic groups of smokers in California as smoking prevalence declined.

Smoking prevalence differs among different racial/ethnic groups. Previous research found that as smoking prevalence declined in the U.S., remaining smokers made more quit attempts and smoked fewer cigarettes per day (CPD), indicating so-called softening. We examined California, a state with a highly diverse population, to assess whether there is differential softening among remaining smokers in different racial/ethnic groups. We used the California Tobacco Survey (1990-2008, N: 145,128). We ran logistic and linear regressions for smoking prevalence, CPD, quit attempts and time to first cigarette (30 min) as a function of race/ethnicity (non-Hispanic White, Hispanic, African American, Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Korean, other Asian/Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaska Native) controlling for other demographics. Overall prevalence fell from 21.1% in 1990 to 12.3% in 2008 (p < 0.01), showing similar declining trends across all racial/ethnic groups (p = 0.44), albeit from different baseline prevalence levels. In terms of softening indicators the proportion with at least one quit attempt in the past 12 months increased from 46.2% to 59.3%, a factor of 1.25 per decade (95%CI = 1.17, 1.34) in the adjusted model. CPD declined from 16.9 to 10.9, by -2.95 CPD per decade (95%CI = -3.24, -2.67) in the adjusted model. There were no significant changes in the time to first cigarette. Interactions of race/ethnicity and time show similar trends among all subgroups expect Hispanics, whose CPD remained stable rather than declining. Although from different baseline levels, tobacco control policies have benefitted all subgroups of California smokers, exhibiting similar softening as prevalence fell. Interventions are still needed to reduce the baseline differences.

E-cigarettes Associated With Depressed Smoking Cessation: A Cross-sectional Study of 28 European Union Countries.

INTRODUCTION: Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are often promoted to assist with cigarette smoking cessation. In 2016-2017, the relationship between e-cigarette use and having stopped smoking among ever (current and former) smokers was assessed in the European Union and Great Britain by itself. METHODS: Cross-sectional logistic regression of the association between being a former smoker and e-cigarette use was applied to the 2014 Eurobarometer survey of 28 European Union countries controlling for demographics. RESULTS: Among all ever smokers, any regular ever use of nicotine e-cigarettes was associated with lower odds of being a former smoker (unadjusted OR=0.34, 95% CI=0.26, 0.43, AOR=0.43, 95% CI=0.32, 0.58) compared with smokers who had never used e-cigarettes. In unadjusted models, daily use (OR=0.42, 95% CI=0.31, 0.56); occasional use (OR=0.25, 95% CI=0.18, 0.35); and experimentation (OR=0.24, 95% CI=0.19, 0.30) of nicotine e-cigarettes were associated with lower odds of being a former smoker compared with having never used nicotine-containing e-cigarettes. Comparable results were found in adjusted models. Results were similar in Great Britain alone. Among current smokers, daily cigarette consumption was 15.6 cigarettes/day (95% CI=14.5, 16.7) among those who also used e-cigarettes versus 14.4 cigarettes/day (95% CI=13.4, 15.4) for those who did not use them (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that e-cigarettes are associated with inhibiting rather than assisting in smoking cessation. On the population level, the net effect of the entry of e-cigarettes into the European Union (and Great Britain) is associated with depressed smoking cessation of conventional cigarettes.

Softening Among U.S. Smokers With Psychological Distress: More Quit Attempts and Lower Consumption as Smoking Drops.

INTRODUCTION: It has been argued that as smoking prevalence declines, the remaining smokers represent a "hard core" who are unwilling or unable to quit, a process known as hardening. However, as recently shown, the general smoking population is softening not hardening (i.e., as prevalence falls, more quit attempts and lower consumption among continuing smokers). People with psychological distress smoke more, so they may represent hard-core smokers. METHODS: Using cross-sectional time series analysis, in 2016-2017 changes in quit attempts and cigarette consumption were evaluated over 19 years among smokers with serious psychological distress (Kessler-6 score ≥13) based on the National Health Interview Survey (1997-2015), controlling for sociodemographic variables. RESULTS: People with psychological distress had higher smoking prevalence and consumed more cigarettes/day than people without distress. The percentage of those with at least one quit attempt was higher among those with psychological distress. The increase in quit attempts over time was similar among smokers in each of the distress levels. For every 10 years, the OR of a quit attempt increased by a factor of 1.13 (95% CI=1.02, 1.24, p<0.05). Consumption declined by 3.35 (95% CI= -3.94, -2.75, p<0.01) cigarettes/day for those with serious psychological distress. CONCLUSIONS: Although smoking more heavily than the general population, smokers with psychological distress, like the general population, are softening over time. To improve health outcomes and increase health equity, tobacco control policies should continue moving all subgroups of smokers down these softening curves, while simultaneously incorporating appropriately tailored quitting help into mental health settings.

Tobacco growing and the sustainable development goals, Malawi.

Negative impacts of tobacco result from human consumption and from tobacco-growing activities, most of which now occur in low- and middle-income countries. Malawi is the world's largest producer of burley tobacco and its population is affected by the negative consequences of both tobacco consumption and production. In countries like Malawi, tobacco control refers to control of the tobacco supply chain, rather than control of consumption. We review the impact of tobacco cultivation, using Malawi as an example, to illustrate the economic, environmental, health and social issues faced by low- and middle-income countries that still produce significant tobacco crops. We place these issues in the context of the sustainable development goals (SDGs), particularly 3a which calls on all governments to strengthen the implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Other goals address the negative effects that tobacco cultivation has on development. The SDGs offer an opportunity for low- and middle-income countries that are dependent on tobacco production and that are not yet parties to the Convention, to reconsider joining the FCTC.

Les impacts négatifs du tabac résultent de la consommation humaine et des activités de culture du tabac, qui sont aujourd'hui exercées pour la plupart dans les pays à revenu faible et intermédiaire. Le Malawi est le plus grand producteur mondial de tabac Burley et sa population subit les effets négatifs de la consommation et de la production de tabac. Dans des pays comme le Malawi, le contrôle du tabac porte davantage sur le contrôle de la chaîne d'approvisionnement que sur le contrôle de la consommation de tabac. Nous examinons ici l'impact de la culture du tabac, en prenant le Malawi comme exemple pour illustrer les problèmes économiques, environnementaux, sanitaires et sociaux que rencontrent les pays à revenu faible et intermédiaire qui continuent de produire d'importantes récoltes de tabac. Nous plaçons ces problèmes dans le cadre des objectifs de développement durable (ODD), en particulier du 3.a, qui appelle tous les gouvernements à renforcer l'application de la Convention-cadre de l'Organisation mondiale de la Santé pour la lutte antitabac (CCLAT). D'autres objectifs s'intéressent aux effets négatifs de la culture du tabac sur le développement. Les ODD offrent l'opportunité aux pays à revenu faible et intermédiaire qui dépendent de la production de tabac et qui ne sont pas encore parties à la Convention de réenvisager de la signer.

Los impactos negativos del tabaco se derivan del consumo humano y las actividades de cultivo de tabaco, la mayoría de las cuales suelen realizarse actualmente en países con ingresos bajos y medios. Malawi es el mayor productor de tabaco burley del mundo y su población se ha visto afectada por las consecuencias negativas del consumo y la producción de tabaco. En países como Malawi, el control del tabaco hace referencia al control de la cadena de suministro de tabaco, en lugar del control del consumo. Se revisó el impacto del cultivo de tabaco, utilizando Malawi como ejemplo, para ilustrar los problemas económicos, medioambientales, sanitarios y sociales a los que se enfrentan los países de ingresos bajos y medios que siguen produciendo grandes cosechas de tabaco. Se situaron estos problemas en el contexto de los objetivos de desarrollo sostenible, principalmente el 3.a, que hace un llamamiento a todos los gobiernos para que fortalezcan la implementación del Convenio Marco de la OMS para el Control del Tabaco (CMCT). Otros objetivos abordan los efectos negativos del cultivo de tabaco en el desarrollo. Los ODS ofrecen una oportunidad para que los países con ingresos bajos y medios que dependen de la producción del tabaco y que aún no forman parte del convenio reconsideren incorporarse al CMCT.

Tobacco growing and the sustainable development goals, Malawi

Negative impacts of tobacco result from human consumption and from tobacco-growing activities, most of which now occur in low- and middle-income countries. Malawi is the world's largest producer of burley tobacco and its population is affected by the negative consequences of both tobacco consumption and production. In countries like Malawi, tobacco control refers to control of the tobacco supply chain, rather than control of consumption. We review the impact of tobacco cultivation, using Malawi as an example, to illustrate the economic, environmental, health and social issues faced by low- and middle-income countries that still produce significant tobacco crops. We place these issues in the context of the sustainable development goals (SDGs), particularly 3a which calls on all governments to strengthen the implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Other goals address the negative effects that tobacco cultivation has on development. The SDGs offer an opportunity for low- and middle-income countries that are dependent on tobacco production and that are not yet parties to the Convention, to reconsider joining the FCTC

Potential health gains and health losses in eleven EU countries attainable through feasible prevalences of the life-style related risk factors alcohol, BMI, and smoking: a quantitative health impact assessment.

BACKGROUND: Influencing the life-style risk-factors alcohol, body mass index (BMI), and smoking is an European Union (EU) wide objective of public health policy. The population-level health effects of these risk-factors depend on population specific characteristics and are difficult to quantify without dynamic population health models. METHODS: For eleven countries-approx. 80 % of the EU-27 population-we used evidence from the publicly available DYNAMO-HIA data-set. For each country the age- and sex-specific risk-factor prevalence and the incidence, prevalence, and excess mortality of nine chronic diseases are utilized; including the corresponding relative risks linking risk-factor exposure causally to disease incidence and all-cause mortality. Applying the DYNAMO-HIA tool, we dynamically project the country-wise potential health gains and losses using feasible, i.e. observed elsewhere, risk-factor prevalence rates as benchmarks. The effects of the "worst practice", "best practice", and the currently observed risk-factor prevalence on population health are quantified and expected changes in life expectancy, morbidity-free life years, disease cases, and cumulative mortality are reported. RESULTS: Applying the best practice smoking prevalence yields the largest gains in life expectancy with 0.4 years for males and 0.3 year for females (approx. 332,950 and 274,200 deaths postponed, respectively) while the worst practice smoking prevalence also leads to the largest losses with 0.7 years for males and 0.9 year for females (approx. 609,400 and 710,550 lives lost, respectively). Comparing morbidity-free life years, the best practice smoking prevalence shows the highest gains for males with 0.4 years (342,800 less disease cases), whereas for females the best practice BMI prevalence yields the largest gains with 0.7 years (1,075,200 less disease cases). CONCLUSION: Smoking is still the risk-factor with the largest potential health gains. BMI, however, has comparatively large effects on morbidity. Future research should aim to improve knowledge of how policies can influence and shape individual and aggregated life-style-related risk-factor behavior.

Socioeconomic Inequalities in Neglected Tropical Diseases: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are generally assumed to be concentrated in poor populations, but evidence on this remains scattered. We describe within-country socioeconomic inequalities in nine NTDs listed in the London Declaration for intensified control and/or elimination: lymphatic filariasis (LF), onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH), trachoma, Chagas' disease, human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), leprosy, and visceral leishmaniasis (VL). METHODOLOGY: We conducted a systematic literature review, including publications between 2004-2013 found in Embase, Medline (OvidSP), Cochrane Central, Web of Science, Popline, Lilacs, and Scielo. We included publications in international peer-reviewed journals on studies concerning the top 20 countries in terms of the burden of the NTD under study. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We identified 5,516 publications, of which 93 met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 59 papers reported substantial and statistically significant socioeconomic inequalities in NTD distribution, with higher odds of infection or disease among poor and less-educated people compared with better-off groups. The findings were mixed in 23 studies, and 11 studies showed no substantial or statistically significant inequality. Most information was available for STH, VL, schistosomiasis, and, to a lesser extent, for trachoma. For the other NTDs, evidence on their socioeconomic distribution was scarce. The magnitude of inequality varied, but often, the odds of infection or disease were twice as high among socioeconomically disadvantaged groups compared with better-off strata. Inequalities often took the form of a gradient, with higher odds of infection or disease each step down the socioeconomic hierarchy. Notwithstanding these inequalities, the prevalence of some NTDs was sometimes also high among better-off groups in some highly endemic areas. CONCLUSIONS: While recent evidence on socioeconomic inequalities is scarce for most individual NTDs, for some, there is considerable evidence of substantially higher odds of infection or disease among socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. NTD control activities as proposed in the London Declaration, when set up in a way that they reach the most in need, will benefit the poorest populations in poor countries.

Between-Country Inequalities in the Neglected Tropical Disease Burden in 1990 and 2010, with Projections for 2020.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization (WHO) has set ambitious time-bound targets for the control and elimination of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Investing in NTDs is not only seen as good value for money, but is also advocated as a pro-poor policy since it would improve population health in the poorest populations. We studied the extent to which the disease burden from nine NTDs (lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminths, trachoma, Chagas disease, human African trypanosomiasis, leprosy, visceral leishmaniasis) was concentrated in the poorest countries in 1990 and 2010, and how this would change by 2020 in case the WHO targets are met. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Our analysis was based on 1990 and 2010 data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2010 study and on projections of the 2020 burden. Low and lower-middle income countries together accounted for 69% and 81% of the global burden in 1990 and 2010 respectively. Only the soil-transmitted helminths and Chagas disease caused a considerable burden in upper-middle income countries. The global burden from these NTDs declined by 27% between 1990 and 2010, but reduction largely came to the benefit of upper-middle income countries. Achieving the WHO targets would lead to a further 55% reduction in the global burden between 2010 and 2020 in each country income group, and 81% of the global reduction would occur in low and lower-middle income countries. CONCLUSIONS: The GBD 2010 data show the burden of the nine selected NTDs in DALYs is strongly concentrated in low and lower-middle income countries, which implies that the beneficial impact of NTD control eventually also largely comes to the benefit of these same countries. While the nine NTDs became increasingly concentrated in developing countries in the 1990-2010 period, this trend would be rectified if the WHO targets were met, supporting the pro-poor designation.

Concerted Efforts to Control or Eliminate Neglected Tropical Diseases: How Much Health Will Be Gained?

BACKGROUND: The London Declaration (2012) was formulated to support and focus the control and elimination of ten neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), with targets for 2020 as formulated by the WHO Roadmap. Five NTDs (lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminths and trachoma) are to be controlled by preventive chemotherapy (PCT), and four (Chagas' disease, human African trypanosomiasis, leprosy and visceral leishmaniasis) by innovative and intensified disease management (IDM). Guinea worm, virtually eradicated, is not considered here. We aim to estimate the global health impact of meeting these targets in terms of averted morbidity, mortality, and disability adjusted life years (DALYs). METHODS: The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2010 study provides prevalence and burden estimates for all nine NTDs in 1990 and 2010, by country, age and sex, which were taken as the basis for our calculations. Estimates for other years were obtained by interpolating between 1990 (or the start-year of large-scale control efforts) and 2010, and further extrapolating until 2030, such that the 2020 targets were met. The NTD disease manifestations considered in the GBD study were analyzed as either reversible or irreversible. Health impacts were assessed by comparing the results of achieving the targets with the counterfactual, construed as the health burden had the 1990 (or 2010 if higher) situation continued unabated. PRINCIPLE FINDINGS/CONCLUSIONS: Our calculations show that meeting the targets will lead to about 600 million averted DALYs in the period 2011-2030, nearly equally distributed between PCT and IDM-NTDs, with the health gain amongst PCT-NTDs mostly (96%) due to averted disability and amongst IDM-NTDs largely (95%) from averted mortality. These health gains include about 150 million averted irreversible disease manifestations (e.g. blindness) and 5 million averted deaths. Control of soil-transmitted helminths accounts for one third of all averted DALYs. We conclude that the projected health impact of the London Declaration justifies the required efforts.

The smoking population in the USA and EU is softening not hardening.

BACKGROUND: It has been argued that as smoking prevalence declines in countries, the smokers that remain include higher proportions of those who are unwilling or unable to quit (a process known as 'hardening'). Smokeless tobacco and e-cigarettes have been promoted as a strategy to deal with such smokers. If hardening is occurring, there would be a positive association between smoking prevalence and quitting, with less quitting at lower prevalence. There would also be a neutral or negative association between prevalence and the number of cigarettes smoked. METHODS: We examined US state-level associations using the Tobacco Use Supplement (1992/1993-2010/2011) and Eurobarometer surveys for 31 European countries (2006-2009-2012) using regressions of quit attempts, quit ratios, and number of cigarettes smoked on smoking prevalence over time. RESULTS: For each 1% drop in smoking prevalence, quit attempts increase by 0.55%±.07 (p<0.001) in the USA and remain stable in Europe (p=0.53), US quit ratios increase by 1.13%±0.06 (p<0.001), and consumption drops by 0.32 cig/day±0.02 (p<0.001) in the USA and 0.22 cig/day±0.05 (p<0.001) in Europe. These associations remain stable over time (p>0.24), with significantly lower consumption at any given prevalence level as time passed in the USA (-0.15 (cig/day)/year±0.06, p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with prior research using different data and methods, these population-level results reject the hypothesis of hardening as smoking prevalence drops, instead supporting softening of the smoking population as prevalence declines.

Obesity and the potential reduction of social inequalities in mortality: evidence from 21 European populations.

BACKGROUND: Obesity contributes considerably to the problem of health inequalities in many countries, but quantitative estimates of this contribution and to what extent it is modifiable are scarce. We identify the potential for reducing educational inequalities in all-cause and obesity-related mortality in 21 European populations, by modifying educational differences in obesity and overweight. METHODS: Prevalence data and mortality data come from 21 European populations. Mortality rate ratios come from literature reviews. We use the population attributable fraction (PAF) to estimate the impact of scenario-based changes in the social distribution of obesity on educational inequalities in mortality. RESULTS: An elimination of differences in obesity between educational groups would decrease relative inequality in all-cause mortality between those with high and low education by up to 12% for men and 42% for women. About half of the relative inequality in mortality could be reduced for some causes of death in several countries, often in southern Europe. Absolute inequalities in all-cause mortality would be reduced by up to 69 (men) and 67 (women) deaths per 100,000 person-years. CONCLUSION: The potential reduction of health inequality by an elimination of social inequalities in obesity might be substantial. The reductions differ by country, cause of death and gender, suggesting that the priority given to obesity as an entry-point for tackling health inequalities should differ between countries and gender.

Variations in the relation between education and cause-specific mortality in 19 European populations: a test of the "fundamental causes" theory of social inequalities in health.

Link and Phelan have proposed to explain the persistence of health inequalities from the fact that socioeconomic status is a "fundamental cause" which embodies an array of resources that can be used to avoid disease risks no matter what mechanisms are relevant at any given time. To test this theory we compared the magnitude of inequalities in mortality between more and less preventable causes of death in 19 European populations, and assessed whether inequalities in mortality from preventable causes are larger in countries with larger resource inequalities. We collected and harmonized mortality data by educational level on 19 national and regional populations from 16 European countries in the first decade of the 21st century. We calculated age-adjusted Relative Risks of mortality among men and women aged 30-79 for 24 causes of death, which were classified into four groups: amenable to behavior change, amenable to medical intervention, amenable to injury prevention, and non-preventable. Although an overwhelming majority of Relative Risks indicate higher mortality risks among the lower educated, the strength of the education-mortality relation is highly variable between causes of death and populations. Inequalities in mortality are generally larger for causes amenable to behavior change, medical intervention and injury prevention than for non-preventable causes. The contrast between preventable and non-preventable causes is large for causes amenable to behavior change, but absent for causes amenable to injury prevention among women. The contrast between preventable and non-preventable causes is larger in Central & Eastern Europe, where resource inequalities are substantial, than in the Nordic countries and continental Europe, where resource inequalities are relatively small, but they are absent or small in Southern Europe, where resource inequalities are also large. In conclusion, our results provide some further support for the theory of "fundamental causes". However, the absence of larger inequalities for preventable causes in Southern Europe and for injury mortality among women indicate that further empirical and theoretical analysis is necessary to understand when and why the additional resources that a higher socioeconomic status provides, do and do not protect against prevailing health risks.