Socioeconomic inequalities for specific diseases show north-south gradient in Europe

Socioeconomic inequalities in mortality are common to all countries of western Europe. Most studies seeking to determine whether these inequalities are larger in some countries than in others have focused on total mortality, but on p 1636 Kunst et al present data for specific causes of death. They found a north-south gradient that showed large inequalities in mortality from ischaemic heart disease in England and Wales, Ireland, and Nordic countries, and large inequalities in cancers other than lung cancer and in gastrointestinal diseases in France, Switzerland, and Mediterranean countries. These variations indicate differences between countries in the contribution that risk factors for specific diseases, like smoking and alcohol consumption, make to inequalities in total mortality.   


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Relevant Article

Occupational class and cause specific mortality in middle aged men in 11 European countries: comparison of population based studies • Commentary: Unequal inequalities across Europe
Anton E Kunst, Feikje Groenhof, Johan P Mackenbach, EU Working Group on Socioeconomic Inequalities in Health, and David A Leon
BMJ 1998 316: 1636-1642. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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