Low socioeconomic status of a patient's residential area is associated with worse prognosis after acute myocardial infarction in Sweden

The influence of socioeconomic and environmental determinants on acute myocardial infarction (AMI) mortality from the spatial epidemiological perspective

Plenty of epidemiological approaches have been explored to detect the effects of environmental and socioeconomic factors on acute myocardial infarction (AMI) mortality. Whereas, identifying the influence of potential affecting factors on AMI mortality based on a spatial epidemiological perspective was strongly desired. Moreover, the interaction effects of two potential factors on the diseases were always neglected previously. Here, the Geodetector and geographically & temporally weighted regression model (GTWR) combined with multi-source spatiotemporal datasets were introduced to quantitatively determine the relationship between AMI mortality and potential influencing factors across Xi'an during 2014-2016. Besides, Moran's I was adopted to diagnose the spatial autocorrelation of AMI mortality. Some findings were achieved. The number of AMI mortality cases increased from 5075 in 2014 to 6774 in 2016. Air pollutants, meteorological factors, economic status, and topography factors exhibited a significant effect on AMI mortality. The AMI mortality demonstrated an obvious spatial autocorrelation feature during 2014-2016. POP and PE represented the most obvious impact on AMI mortality, respectively. Moreover, the interaction of any two factors was larger than that of the single factor on AMI mortality, and the factors with the strongest interaction vary according to lag groups and ages. The effects of factors on AMI mortality were POP (- 628.925) > PE (140.102) > RD (79.145) > O₃ (- 58.438) > E_NH₃ (42.370) for male, and POP (- 751.206) > RD (132.935) > E_NH₃ (58.758) > PE (- 45.434) > O₃ (- 21.256) for female, respectively. This work reminds the local government to continuously control air pollution, strengthen urban planning, and improve the health care of the rural areas for alleviating AMI mortality. Meanwhile, the scheme of the current study supplies a scientific reference for examining the effects of potential impact factors on related diseases using the spatial epidemiological perspective.

Disparities in Mortality and Cardiovascular Events by Income and Blood Pressure Levels Among Patients With Hypertension in South Korea

Background

Socioeconomic status is associated with differences in risk factors of cardiovascular disease and increased risks of cardiovascular disease and mortality. However, it is unclear whether an association exists between cardiovascular disease and income, a common measure of socioeconomic status, among patients with hypertension.

Methods and Results

This population‐based longitudinal study comprised 479 359 patients aged ≥19 years diagnosed with essential hypertension. Participants were categorized by income and blood pressure levels. Primary end point was all‐cause and cardiovascular mortality and secondary end points were cardiovascular events, a composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, and stroke. Low income was significantly associated with high all‐cause (hazard ratio [HR], 1.26; 95% CI, 1.23–1.29, lowest versus highest income) and cardiovascular mortality (HR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.25–1.38) as well as cardiovascular events (HR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.05–1.10) in patients with hypertension after adjusting for age, sex, systolic blood pressure, body mass index, smoking status, alcohol consumption, physical activity, fasting glucose, total cholesterol, and the use of aspirin or statins. In each blood pressure category, low‐income levels were associated with high all‐cause and cardiovascular mortality and cardiovascular events. The excess risks of all‐cause and cardiovascular mortality and cardiovascular events associated with uncontrolled blood pressure were more prominent in the lowest income group.

Conclusions

Low income and uncontrolled blood pressure are associated with increased all‐cause and cardiovascular mortality and cardiovascular events in patients with hypertension. These findings suggest that income is an important aspect of social determinants of health that has an impact on cardiovascular outcomes in the care of hypertension.

Social inequalities in mild and severe myocardial infarction: how large is the gap in health expectancies?

BACKGROUND

Acute myocardial infarction (MI) remains a frequent health event and a major contributor to long-term impairments globally. So far, research on social inequalities in MI incidence and mortality with respect to MI severity is limited. Furthermore, evidence is lacking on disparities in the length of life affected by MI. This study investigates social inequalities in MI incidence and mortality as well as in life years free of MI and affected by the consequences of mild or severe MI.

METHODS

The study is based on data of a large German statutory health insurance provider covering the years 2008 to 2017 (N = 1,253,083). Income inequalities in MI incidence and mortality risks and in life years with mild or severe MI and without MI were analysed using multistate analyses. The assessment of MI severity is based on diagnosed heart failure causing physical limitations.

RESULTS

During the study period a total of 39,832 mild MI, 22,844 severe MI, 276,582 deaths without MI, 15,120 deaths after mild MI and 16,495 deaths after severe MI occurred. Clear inequalities were found in MI incidence and mortality, which were strongest among men and in severe MI incidence. Moreover, substantial inequalities were found in life years free of MI in both genders to the disadvantage of those with low incomes and increased life years after mild MI in men with higher incomes. Life years after severe MI were similar across income groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Social inequalities in MI incidence and mortality risks led to clear disparities in the length of life free of MI with men with low incomes being most disadvantaged. Our findings stress the importance of primary and secondary prevention focusing especially on socially disadvantaged groups.

Social Determinants of Outcomes in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

INTRODUCTION

In a population-based inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) cohort, we aimed to determine whether having lower socioeconomic status (LSS) impacted on outcomes.

METHODS

We identified all 9,298 Manitoba residents with IBD from April 1, 1995, to March 31, 2018 by applying a validated case definition to the Manitoba Health administrative database. We could identify all outpatient physician visits, hospitalizations, surgeries, intensive care unit admissions, and prescription medications. Their data were linked with 2 Manitoba databases, one identifying all persons who received Employment and Income Assistance and another identifying all persons with Child and Family Services contact. Area-level socioeconomic status was defined by a factor score incorporating average household income, single parent households, unemployment rate, and high school education rate. LSS was identified by any of ever being registered for Employment and Income Assistance or with Child and Family Services or being in the lowest area-level socioeconomic status quintile.

RESULTS

Comparing persons with LSS vs those without any markers of LSS, there were increased rates of annual outpatient physician visits (relative risk [RR] = 1.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.06-1.13), hospitalizations (RR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.31-1.44), intensive care unit admission (RR = 1.94, 95% CI = 1.65-2.27), use of corticosteroids >2,000 mg/yr (RR = 1.12, 95% CI = 1.03-1.21), and death (hazard ratio 1.53, 95% CI = 1.36-1.73). Narcotics (RR = 2.17, 95% CI = 2.01-2.34) and psychotropic medication use (RR = 1.98, 95% CI = 1.84-2.13) were increased. The impact of LSS was greater for those with Crohn's disease than for those with ulcerative colitis.

DISCUSSION

LSS was associated with worse outcomes in persons with IBD. Social determinants of health at time of diagnosis should be highly considered and addressed.

Socioeconomic Status and Differences in the Management and Outcomes of 6.6 Million US Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction

Little is known about the impact of socioeconomic status (SES) on management strategies and in-hospital clinical outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and its subtypes, and whether these trends have changed over time. All AMI hospitalizations from the National Inpatient Sample (2004 to 2014) were analyzed and stratified by zip code-based median household income (MHI) into 4 quartiles (poorest to wealthiest): 0th to 25th, 26th to 50th, 51st to 75^th, and 76th to 100th. Logistic regression was performed to examine the association between MHI and AMI management strategy and in-hospital clinical outcomes. A total of 6,603,709 AMI hospitalizations were analyzed. Patients in the lowest MHI group had more co-morbidities, a worse cardiovascular risk factor profile and were more likely to be female. Differences in receipt of invasive management were observed between the lowest and highest MHI quartiles, with the lowest MHI group less likely to undergo coronary angiography (63.4% vs 64.3%, p <0.001) and percutaneous coronary intervention (40.4% vs 44.3%, p <0.001) compared with the highest MHI group, especially in the STEMI subgroup. In multivariable analysis, the highest MHI group experienced better outcomes including lower risk (adjusted odds ratio; 95% confidence intervals) of mortality (0.88; 0.88 to 0.89), MACCE (0.91; 0.91 to 0.92) and acute ischemic stroke (0.90; 0.88 to 0.91), but higher all-cause bleeding (1.08; 1.06 to 1.09) in comparison to the lowest MHI group. In conclusion, the provision of invasive management for AMI in patients with lower SES is less than patients with higher SES and is associated with worse in-hospital clinical outcomes. This work highlights the importance of ensuring equity of access and care across all strata SES.

Social Factors, Sex, and Mortality Risk After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: A Population-Based Cohort Study

Background Little is known of the impact of social factors on mortality after coronary artery bypass grafting ( CABG ). We explored sex- and age-specific associations between mortality risk after CABG and marital status, income, and education. Methods and Results This population-based register study included 110 742 CABG patients (21.3% women) from the SWEDEHEART registry (Swedish Web-system for Enhancement and Development of Evidence-based Care in Heart Disease Evaluated According to Recommended Therapies) operated 1992 to 2015. Cox regression models were used to study the relation between social factors and all-cause mortality. Never having been married compared with being married/cohabiting was associated with a higher risk in women than in men (hazard ratio 1.32, 95% CI 1.20-1.44) versus 1.17 (1.13-1.22), P=0.030 between sex. The lowest income quintile, compared with the highest, was associated with higher risk in men than in women (hazard ratio 1.44 [1.38-1.51] versus 1.25 [1.14-1.38], P=0.0036). Lowest education level was associated with higher risk without sex difference (hazard ratio 1.15 [1.11-1.19] versus 1.25 [1.16-1.35], P=0.75). For unmarried women aged 60 years at surgery with low income and low education, mortality 10 years after surgery was 18%, compared with 11% in married women with high income and higher education level. The median life expectancy was 4.8 years shorter. Corresponding figures for 60-year-old men were 21% versus 12% mortality risk at 10 years and 5.0 years shorter life expectancy. Conclusions There are strong associations between social factors and mortality risk after CABG in both men and women. These results emphasize the importance of developing and implementing secondary prevention strategies for CABG patients with disadvantages in social factors.

Spatial distribution of in- and out-of-hospital mortality one year after acute myocardial infarction in France

Objective

To describe the spatial distribution of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) mortality in France in association with the socio-economic characteristics of the patient's place of residence.

Methods

In this population-based study, we included patients hospitalized for AMI identified according to ICD-10 codes, using data from the national health insurance database from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2014. In- and out-of-hospital deaths were identified over a period of 1 year following the first hospital stay for AMI.An exploratory analysis was performed to classify area profiles. The spatial analysis of AMI mortality was performed using a principal component analysis followed by an ascending hierarchical classification taking into account socio-economic data, access-time by road to coronary angiography, standardized in-hospital prevalence, and 1 year mortality.

Results

Over the 2 years, 115,418 patients were hospitalized with a diagnosis of AMI. Patients were a mean of 68 ​± ​15 years and most were men (68.5%). The overall mortality rate was 12.2% after 1 year. More than half of patients (65.5%) underwent an early revascularization procedure. The map of standardized 1 year mortality showed a geographic area of high mortality extending diagonally from north-east to south-west France. We identified 6 different area profiles with standardized mortality varying from 15.9 to 54.4 per 100,000 inhabitants. The spatial distribution of higher mortality was associated with lower socioeconomic levels. These findings were not associated with a lower access to coronary angiography.

Conclusion

There are considerable geographical differences in the prevalence of AMI and 1 year mortality. The spatial distribution of lower healthcare indicators follows the distribution of social inequalities. This study highlights the importance of focusing national policies on universally accessible prevention programs such as the promotion cardiac rehabilitation and healthy lifestyles.

Greater burden of risk factors and less effect of cardiac rehabilitation in elderly with low educational attainment: The Eu-CaRE study

AIMS

Socioeconomic status is a strong predictor of cardiovascular health. The aim of this study was to describe the immediate and long-term effects of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) across socioeconomic strata in elderly cardiac patients in Europe.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The observational EU-CaRE study is a prospective study with eight CR sites in seven European countries. Patients ≥65 years with coronary heart disease or heart valve surgery participating in CR were consecutively included. Data were obtained at baseline, end of CR and at one-year follow up. Educational level as a marker for socioeconomic status was divided into basic, intermediate and high. The primary endpoint was exercise capacity (peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak)). Secondary endpoints were cardiovascular risk factors, medical treatment and scores for depression, anxiety and quality of life (QoL). A total of 1626 patients were included; 28% had basic, 48% intermediate and 24% high education. A total of 1515 and 1448 patients were available for follow-up analyses at end of CR and one-year, respectively. Patients with basic education were older and more often female. At baseline we found a socioeconomic gradient in VO2peak, lifestyle-related cardiovascular risk factors, anxiety, depression and QoL. The socioeconomic gap in VO2peak increased following CR (p for interaction <0.001). The socioeconomic gap in secondary outcomes was unaffected by CR. The use of evidence-based medication was good in all socioeconomic groups.

CONCLUSIONS

We found a strong socioeconomic gradient in VO2peak and cardiovascular risk factors that was unaffected or worsened after CR. To address inequity in cardiovascular health, the individual adaption of CR according to socioeconomic needs should be considered.

Socioeconomic Factors, Secondary Prevention Medication, and Long-Term Survival After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: A Population-Based Cohort Study From the SWEDEHEART Registry

Background Low income and short education have been found to be independently associated with inferior survival after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), whereas the use of secondary prevention medications is associated with improved survival. We investigated whether underusage of secondary prevention medications contributes to the inferior long-term survival in CABG patients with a low income and short education. Methods and Results Patients who underwent CABG in Sweden between 2006 to 2015 and survived at least 6 months after discharge (n=28 448) were included in a population-based cohort study. Individual patient data from 5 national registries, including the SWEDEHEART (Swedish Web System for Enhancement and Development of Evidence-Based Care in Heart Disease Evaluated According to Recommended Therapies) registry, covering dispensing of secondary prevention medications (statins, platelet inhibitors, β-blockers, and RAAS inhibitors), socioeconomic factors, patient characteristics, comorbidity, and long-term mortaity were merged. All-cause mortality risk was estimated using multivariable Cox regression models adjusted for patient characteristics, baseline comorbidities, time-updated secondary prevention medications, and socioeconomic status. Long-term mortality was higher in patients with a low income and short education. Statins and platelet inhibitors were dispensed less often to patients with a low income, both at baseline and after 8 years. The decline in dispensing over time was steeper for low-income patients. Short education was not associated with reduced dispensing of any secondary prevention medication. Use of statins (adjusted hazard ratio=0.57 [95% CI, 0.53-0.61]), RAAS inhibitors (adjusted hazard ratio=0.78 [0.73-0.84]), and platelet inhibitors (adjusted hazard ratio=0.74 [0.68-0.80]) were associated with reduced long-term mortality irrespective of socioeconomic status. Conclusions Secondary prevention medications are dispensed less often after CABG to patients with low income. Underusage of secondary prevention medications after CABG is associated with increased mortality risk independently of income and extent of education.

Exposure to guideline-recommended drugs after a first acute myocardial infarction in older adults: does deprivation matter?

BACKGROUND

Inequities between guideline-recommended drugs (GRD) exposure and socioeconomic status might exist. The objective was to assess the association between a material and a social deprivation index and GRD exposure following a first acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in older adults in the province of Quebec.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the Quebec Integrated Chronic Disease Surveillance System. Elderly ≥66 years, hospitalized for a first AMI between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2011 and covered by the public drug plan were identified. Exposure to GRD (i.e. simultaneous use of 1) antiplatelet, 2) beta-blocker, 3) lipid-lowering and 4) angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin II receptor blocker drugs) was assessed 30 and 365 days following hospital discharge. Associations between deprivation index and GRD exposure were estimated with log-binomial regressions adjusting for potential confounders.

RESULTS

Exposure to GRD was 52.2% and 48.0%, 30 and 365 days after hospital discharge, respectively. No statistically significant association was observed in multivariate analysis for both time points. Thirty days post hospital discharge, adjusted prevalence ratio of non-exposure to GRD was 0.98 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.95-1.02) for most materially deprived vs. least deprived and 1.04 (95% CI: 0.99-1.08) for most socially deprived vs. least deprived. Similar results were observed for 365 days.

CONCLUSION

Exposure to GRD after a first urgent AMI among older adults insured by the public drug plan in the province of Quebec is relatively low. Reasons and risk groups for this low exposure should be studied to improve secondary prevention. However, results suggest equitable access to GRD, regardless of deprivation.

Attending Heart School and long-term outcome after myocardial infarction: A decennial SWEDEHEART registry study

Background

The Heart School is a standard component of cardiac rehabilitation after myocardial infarction in Sweden. The group-based educational intervention aims to improve modifiable risks, in turn reducing subsequent morbidity and mortality. However, an evaluation with respect to mortality is lacking.

Aims

Using linked population registries, we estimated the association of attending Heart School with both all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, two and five years after admission for first-time myocardial infarction.

Methods

Patients with first-time myocardial infarction (<75 years) were identified as consecutively registered in the nationwide heart registry, SWEDEHEART (2006–2015), with >99% complete follow-up in the Causes of Death registry for outcome events. Of 192,059 myocardial infarction admissions, 47,907 unique patients with first-time myocardial infarction surviving to the first cardiac rehabilitation visit constituted the study population. The exposure was attending Heart School at the first cardiac rehabilitation visit 6–10 weeks post-myocardial infarction. Data on socioeconomic status was acquired from Statistics Sweden. After multiple imputation, propensity score matching was performed. The association of exposure with mortality was estimated with Cox regression and survival curves.

Results

After matching, attending Heart School was associated (hazard ratio (95% confidence interval)) with a markedly lower risk of both all-cause (two-year hazard ratio = 0.53 (0.44–0.64); five-year hazard ratio = 0.62 (0.55–0.69)) and cardiovascular (0.50 (0.38–0.65); 0.57 (0.47–0.69)) mortality. The results were robust in several sensitivity analyses.

Conclusions

Attending Heart School during cardiac rehabilitation is associated with almost halved all-cause and cardiovascular mortality after first-time myocardial infarction. The result warrants further investigation through adequately powered randomised trials.

Short-term and long-term case-fatality rates for myocardial infarction and ischaemic stroke by socioeconomic position and sex: a population-based cohort study in Sweden, 1990-1994 and 2005-2009

OBJECTIVE

Case-fatality rates (CFRs) for myocardial infarction (MI) and ischaemic stroke (IS) have decreased over time due to better prevention, medication and hospital care. It is unclear whether these improvements have been equally distributed according to socioeconomic position (SEP) and sex. The aim of this study is to analyse differences in short-term and long-term CFR for MI and IS by SEP and sex between the periods 1990-1994 to 2005-2009 for the entire Swedish population.

DESIGN

Population-based cohort study based on Swedish national registers.

METHODS

We used logistic regression and flexible parametric models to estimate short-term CFR (death before reaching the hospital or on the disease event day) and long-term CFR (1 year case-fatality conditional on surviving short-term) across five distinct SEP groups, as well as CFR differences (CFRDs) between SEP groups for both MI and IS from 1990-1994 to 2005-2009. : Result S: Overall short-term CFR for both MI and IS decreased between study periods. For MI, differences in short-term and long-term CFR between the least and most favourable SEP group were generally stable, except in long-term CFR among women; intermediate SEP groups mostly managed to catch up with the most favourable SEP group. For IS, short-term CFRD generally decreased compared with the most favourable group; but long-term CFRD were mostly stable, except for an increase for older subjects.

CONCLUSION

Despite a general decline in CFR for MI and IS across all SEP groups and both sexes as well as some reductions in CFRD, we found persistent and even increasing CFRD among the least advantaged SEP groups, older patients and women. We speculate that targeted prevention rather than treatment strategies have the potential to reduce these inequalities.

Acute myocardial infarction: Does survival depend on geographical location and social background?

AIMS

This study described the interplay between geographical and social inequalities in survival after incident acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and examined whether geographical variation in survival exists when accounting for sociodemographic characteristics of the patients and their neighbourhood.

METHODS

Ringmap visualization and generalized linear models were performed to study post-AMI mortality. Three individual-level analyses were conducted: immediate case fatality, mortality between days 1 and 28 after admission and 365-day survival among patients who survived 28 days after admission.

RESULTS

In total, 99,013 incident AMI cases were registered between 2005 and 2014 in Denmark. Survival after AMI tended to correlate with sociodemographic indicators at the municipality level. In individual-level models, geographical inequality in immediate case fatality was observed with high mortality in northern parts of Jutland after accounting for sociodemographic characteristics. In contrast, no geographical variation in survival was observed among patients who survived 28 days. In all three analyses, odds and rates of mortality were higher among patients with low educational level (odds ratio (OR) (95% credible intervals) of 1.20 (1.12-1.29), OR of 1.12 (1.01-1.24) and mortality rate ratio of 1.45 (1.30-1.61)) and low income (OR of 1.24 (1.15-1.33), OR of 1.33 (1.20-1.48) and mortality rate ratio of 1.25 (1.13-1.38)).

CONCLUSION

Marked geographical inequality was observed in immediate case fatality. However, no geographically unequal distribution of survival was found among patients who survived 28 days after AMI. Results additionally showed social inequality in survival following AMI.

[Impact of occupational noise in the development of arterial hypertension: A survey carried out in a company of electricity production]

BACKGROUND

Noise pollution is one of the major environmental pollutants that can adversely affect public health. Cardiovascular diseases are the primary out-auditory adverse outcome caused by occupational noise exposure.

AIMS

To investigate the association between occupational exposure to high level of noise and blood pressure among a group of workers in a company of electricity production in the Centre of Tunisia.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 120 occupational noise-exposed workers and 120 non-exposed employees were recruited to conduct a cross-sectional survey exploring the association between occupational noise-exposed and arterial hypertension. Data collection was based on a questionnaire, a clinical exam and biomarkers. Blood pressure was measured using a mercury sphygmomanometer following a standard protocol. The occupational noise level was measured with a portable calibrated sound meter. Multiple logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95 % confidence interval (CI) of noise exposure adjusted by potential confounders.

RESULTS

The noise level to which our population was exposed ranged from 75dB to 103dB with an average noise level of 89dB. Mean systolic blood pressure (SBP), mean diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and the prevalence of hypertension were significantly higher in exposed individuals than in non-exposed. In multivariate analysis, elevated SBP in exposed workers was associated with high-salt diet (OR adjusted=1.71, 95% CI adjusted [1.14-1.98]) and occupational seniority more than 8 years (adjusted OR=5.31, 95% CI [2.22-12.72]). The factors associated with high BP in the exposed group were diabetes (OR adjusted to 15.31; 95% adjusted CI [2.61-89.58]), history of hypertension in the family (OR adjusted to 11.46; 95% adjusted CI [5.18-83][1.58-83.05]), mean of age (OR adjusted to 6.65; 95% adjusted CI [1.87-23.59]) and high-salt diet (OR adjusted to 0.29; 95% adjusted CI [0.09-0.95]).

CONCLUSION

Occupational chronic noise exposure was associated with higher levels of SBP, DBP, and the risk of hypertension. These findings indicate that effective and feasible measures should be implemented to reduce the risk of hypertension caused by occupational noise exposure in companies of electricity production.

Neighborhood food environment, dietary fatty acid biomarkers, and cardiac arrest risk

We explored links between food environments, dietary intake biomarkers, and sudden cardiac arrest in a population-based longitudinal study using cases and controls accruing between 1990 and 2010 in King County, WA. Surprisingly, presence of more unhealthy food sources near home was associated with a lower 18:1 trans-fatty acid concentration (-0.05% per standard deviation higher count of unhealthy food sources, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.01, 0.09). However, presence of more unhealthy food sources was associated with higher odds of cardiac arrest (Odds Ratio [OR]: 2.29, 95% CI: 1.19, 4.41 per standard deviation in unhealthy food outlets). While unhealthy food outlets were associated with higher cardiac arrest risk, circulating 18:1 trans fats did not explain the association.

Demographic, social, economic and geographic factors associated with long-term outcomes in a cohort of cardiac arrest survivors

BACKGROUND

Demographic, social, economic and geographic factors are associated with increased short-term mortality after cardiac arrest. We sought to determine if these factors are additionally associated with long-term outcome differences using a detailed clinical database linked to state-wide administrative data.

METHODS

We included cardiac arrest patients surviving to hospital discharge from five hospitals in the United States from 2005 to 2013, with follow-up through 2015. We obtained information on sex, race, arrest location, initial rhythm, median ZIP code income, post-arrest illness severity, cardiac catheterization, internal cardioverter-defibrillator insertion, rural residence and drive time from residence to the nearest acute care hospital. We used Cox proportional hazard models identify predictors of mortality.

RESULTS

We included 891 patients followed for 2081 patient-years. There were 340 deaths with median survival 6 years. In adjusted models we identified an interaction effect between median ZIP code income and cardiac catheterization. Among patients who had cardiac catheterization there was an attenuated benefit from cardiac catheterization at progressively lower neighborhood incomes (adjusted HR: 0.21 to 0.46 to 0.56). Residence more than 20 min from the nearest acute care hospital was associated with increased hazard of death (adjusted HR: 1.48; 95%CI: 1.35-1.62), after controlling for rural residence and residence in a Medically Underserved Area/Population. Female patients showed less benefit following ICD placement (male adjusted HR: 0.49; female adjusted HR: 0.66).

CONCLUSIONS

There are persistent long-term outcome differences in cardiac arrest survival based on sex, income, and geographic access acute care.

Socioeconomic status, social capital and self-reported unmet health care needs: A population-based study

AIMS

The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between socioeconomic status (SES) and self-reported unmet health care needs, taking economic stress, generalized trust in other people and trust in the health care system into account.

METHODS

The 2012 public health survey in Scania was conducted using a postal questionnaire and included 28,029 participants aged 18-80 years. The study was cross-sectional. Associations between SES and unmet health care needs were investigated, adjusting for economic stress and trust in logistic regressions.

RESULTS

SES was significantly associated with unmet health care needs. The SES categories of unemployed, on long-term sick leave and unskilled manual workers reported particularly high levels of unmet health care needs. SES differences in unmet needs were attenuated when economic stress and the two dimensions of trust and self-rated health were introduced in multiple analyses. The working population gave a lack of time as the reason for unmet health care needs, whereas those on sick leave or unemployed reported a lack of money.

CONCLUSIONS

SES differences in self-reported unmet health care needs were observed and these associations were attenuated when economic stress during the past year, generalized trust in other people, trust in the health care system and self-rated health were introduced into the multiple models.

Impact of service redesign on the socioeconomic inequity in revascularisation rates for patients with acute myocardial infarction: a natural experiment and electronic record-linked cohort study

AIM

To investigate the impact of service redesign in the provision of revascularisation procedures on the historical socioeconomic inequity in revascularisation rates for patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

DESIGN

Natural experiment and retrospective cohort study using linked data sets in the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage databank.

NON-RANDOMISED INTERVENTION

An increase in the capacity of revascularisation procedures and service redesign in the provision of revascularisation in late 2011 to early 2012.

SETTING

South Wales cardiac network, Census 2011 population 1 359 051 aged 35 years and over.

PARTICIPANTS

9128 participants admitted to an NHS hospital with a first AMI between 1 January 2010 and 30 June 2013, with 6-months follow-up.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Hazard ratios (HRs) for the time to revascularisation for deprivation quintiles, age, gender, comorbidities, rural-urban classification and revascularisation facilities of admitting hospital.

RESULTS

In the preintervention period, there was a statistically significant decreased adjusted risk of revascularisation for participants in the most deprived quintile compared to the least deprived quintile (HR 0.80; 95% CI 0.69 to 0.92, p=0.002). In the postintervention period, the increase in revascularisation rates was statistically significant in all quintiles, and there was no longer any statistically significant difference in the adjusted revascularisation risk between the most and the least deprived quintile (HR 1.04; 95% CI 0.89 to 1.20, p<0.649). However, inequity persisted for those aged 75 years and over (HR 0.40; 95% CI 0.35 to 0.46, p<0.001) and women (HR 0.77; 95% CI 0.70 to 0.86, p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Socioeconomic inequity of access to revascularisation was no longer apparent following redesign of revascularisation services in the south Wales cardiac network, although inequity persisted for women and those aged 75+ years. Increasing the capacity of revascularisation did not differentially benefit participants from the least deprived areas.

The tax-free year in Iceland: A natural experiment to explore the impact of a short-term increase in labor supply on the risk of heart attacks

Evidence is mixed on whether society-wide economic conditions affect cardiovascular health and the reasons for the suggested relationship are largely untested. We explore whether a short-term increase in labor supply affects the probability of acute myocardial infarctions, using a natural experiment in Iceland. In 1987 personal income taxes were temporarily reduced to zero, resulting in an overall increase in labor supply. We merge and analyze individual-level, registry-based data on earnings and AMIs including all Icelandic men and women aged 45-74 during the period 1982-1992. The results support the prominent hypothesis of increased work as a mechanism explaining worsening heart health in upswings, for men aged 45-64 who were self-employed. We furthermore find a larger increase in probability of AMIs during the tax-free year in men aged 45-54 than men aged 55-64.

Exploring the association between low socioeconomic status and cardiovascular disease risk in healthy Greeks, in the years of financial crisis (2002-2012): The ATTICA study

BACKGROUND

Despite recent declines in mortality, cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death in Europe today. Given the fact that many of the biological risk factors have already been identified, researchers still search for different modifiable factors that may influence CVD risk, among which SES gathers a great part of interest.

AIMS

To explore the effect of low socioeconomic status (SES) on a 10-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence, in the years of financial crisis.

METHODS

This population-based study was carried out in the province of Attica, where Athens is a major metropolis. During 2001-2002, information from 1528 men (18-87years old) and 1514 women (18-89years old) was collected. Educational level and annual income were used to define their SES. After a 10-year of follow-up period (2002-2012), CVD incidence was recorded.

RESULTS

Low compared to high SES class, at the ages above 45years, was independently associated with increased 10-year CVD incidence [adjusted odds ratio and 95% confidence interval: 2.7 (1.5, 4.9)] but not among the younger participants. SES was also negatively associated with psychological components (all p-values<0.001), diabetes mellitus (p=0.002), obesity (p=0.087) and physical activity (p=0.056).

CONCLUSION

There is evidence for a consistent reverse relation between SES and the incidence of CVD and for higher CVD risk factors among less privileged individuals. The striking differences by SES underscore the critical need to improve screening, early detection, and treatment of CVD-related conditions for people of lower SES, emphasizing in the middle-aged groups.

Socioeconomic inequalities in access to treatment for coronary heart disease: A systematic review

Strong socioeconomic inequalities exist in cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. The current review aims to synthesize the current evidence on the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and access to treatment of coronary heart disease (CHD). We examined quantitative studies analyzing the relationship between SES and access to CHD treatment that were published between 1996 and 2015. Our data sources included Medline and Web of Science. Our search yielded a total of 2066 records, 57 of which met our inclusion criteria. Low SES was found to be associated with low access to coronary procedures and secondary prevention. Access to coronary procedures, especially coronary angiography, was mainly related to SES to the disadvantage of patients with low SES. However, access to drug treatment and cardiac rehabilitation was only associated with SES in about half of the studies. The association between SES and access to treatment for CHD was stronger when SES was measured based on individual-level compared to area level, and stronger for individuals living in countries without universal health coverage. Socioeconomic inequalities exist in access to CHD treatment, and universal health coverage shows only a minor effect on this relationship. Inequalities diminish along the treatment pathway for CHD from diagnostic procedures to secondary prevention. We therefore conclude that CHD might be underdiagnosed in patients with low SES. Our results indicate that there is an urgent need to improve access to CHD treatment, especially by increasing the supply of diagnostic angiographies, to reduce inequalities across different healthcare systems.

Physical activity pattern, cardiorespiratory fitness, and socioeconomic status in the SCAPIS pilot trial - A cross-sectional study

Living in a low socioeconomic status (SES) area is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality. Previous studies have suggested a socioeconomic gradient in daily physical activity (PA), but have mainly relied on self-reported data, and individual rather than residential area SES. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between residential area SES, PA pattern, compliance with PA-recommendations and fitness in a Swedish middle-aged population, using objective measurements. We included 948 individuals from the SCAPIS pilot study (Gothenburg, Sweden, 2012, stratified for SES, 49% women, median age: 58 years), in three low and three high SES districts. Accelerometer data were summarized into intensity-specific categories: sedentary (SED), low (LIPA), and medium-to-vigorous PA (MVPA). Fitness was estimated by submaximal ergometer testing. Participants of low SES areas had a more adverse cardiovascular disease risk factor profile (smoking: 20% vs. 6%; diabetes: 9% vs. 3%; hypertension: 38% vs. 25%; obesity: 31% vs. 13%), and less frequently reached 150 min of MVPA per week (67% vs. 77%, odds ratio [OR] = 0.61; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 0.46–0.82), from 10-minute bouts (19% vs. 31%, OR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.39–0.72). Individuals in low SES areas showed lower PA levels (mean cpm: 320 vs. 348) and daily average MVPA (29.9 vs. 35.5 min), and 12% lower fitness (25.1 vs. 28.5 mL × min^− 1 × kg^− 1) than did those in high SES areas. Reduced PA and fitness levels may contribute to social inequalities in health, and should be a target for improved public health in low SES areas.

•

We studied physical activity pattern and fitness between socioeconomic (SES) areas.

•

Low SES residents showed lower mean physical activity levels and 12% lower fitness.

•

Rates of adherence to physical activity guidelines were lower in low SES areas.

The Relationship Between Socioeconomic Status and CV Risk Factors: The CRONICAS Cohort Study of Peruvian Adults

BACKGROUND

Variations in the distribution of cardiovascular disease and risk factors by socioeconomic status (SES) have been described in affluent societies, yet a better understanding of these patterns is needed for most low- and middle-income countries.

OBJECTIVE

This study sought to describe the relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and SES using monthly family income, educational attainment, and assets index, in 4 Peruvian sites.

METHODS

Baseline data from an age- and sex-stratified random sample of participants, ages ≥35 years, from 4 Peruvian sites (CRONICAS Cohort Study, 2010) were used. The SES indicators considered were monthly family income (n = 3,220), educational attainment (n = 3,598), and assets index (n = 3,601). Behavioral risk factors included current tobacco use, alcohol drinking, physical activity, daily intake of fruits and vegetables, and no control of salt intake. Cardiometabolic risk factors included obesity, elevated waist circumference, hypertension, insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high triglyceride levels.

RESULTS

In the overall population, 41.6% reported a monthly family income

CONCLUSIONS

The association between SES and cardiometabolic risk factors varies depending on the SES indicator used. These results highlight the need to contextualize risk factors by socioeconomic groups in Latin American settings.

Collapse

Key Words Collapse

MESH Headings

• Adult
• Aged
• Alcohol Drinking/epidemiology
• Cardiovascular Diseases/epidemiology
• Cholesterol, HDL
• Cohort Studies
• Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiology
• Diet/statistics & numerical data
• Dyslipidemias/epidemiology
• Educational Status
• Exercise
• Female
• Humans
• Hypertension/epidemiology
• Hypertriglyceridemia/epidemiology
• Income/statistics & numerical data
• Insulin Resistance
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Obesity/epidemiology
• Peru/epidemiology
• Poverty/statistics & numerical data
• Risk Factors
• Smoking/epidemiology
• Social Class
• Waist Circumference

Collapse

Grants

• 098504/Z/12/Z Wellcome Trust
• MR/K006584/1 Medical Research Council
• R21 TW009982 FIC NIH HHS
• R21TW009982 FIC NIH HHS
• U19 MH098780 NIMH NIH HHS
• R00HL096955 NHLBI NIH HHS
• R00 HL096955 NHLBI NIH HHS
• MR/K007467/1 Medical Research Council
• U01HL114180 NHLBI NIH HHS
• U19MH098780 NIMH NIH HHS
• 103994/Z/14/Z Wellcome Trust
• HHSN268200900033C NHLBI NIH HHS
• U01 HL114180 NHLBI NIH HHS
• M007405 Medical Research Council
• MR/M020894/1 Medical Research Council
• Wellcome Trust
• MC_UU_12013/5 Medical Research Council

Collapse

Affiliation(s)

Renato Quispe CRONICAS Center of Excellence in Chronic Diseases, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
Catherine P Benziger CRONICAS Center of Excellence in Chronic Diseases, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; Division of Cardiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
Juan Carlos Bazo-Alvarez CRONICAS Center of Excellence in Chronic Diseases, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
Laura D Howe MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
William Checkley Program in Global Disease Epidemiology and Control, Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, School of Medicine Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
Robert H Gilman Program in Global Disease Epidemiology and Control, Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Asociación Benéfica PRISMA, Lima, Peru
Liam Smeeth Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
Antonio Bernabé-Ortiz CRONICAS Center of Excellence in Chronic Diseases, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
J Jaime Miranda CRONICAS Center of Excellence in Chronic Diseases, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.

Collapse

Implementation of a telephone-based secondary preventive intervention after acute coronary syndrome (ACS): participation rate, reasons for non-participation and 1-year survival

Background

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a major cause of death from a non-communicable disease. Secondary prevention is effective for reducing morbidity and mortality, but evidence-based targets are seldom reached and new interventional methods are needed. The present study is a feasibility study of a telephone-based secondary preventive programme in an unselected ACS cohort.

Methods

The NAILED (Nurse-based Age-independent Intervention to Limit Evolution of Disease) ACS trial is a prospective randomized controlled trial. All eligible patients admitted for ACS were randomized to usual follow-up by a general practitioner or telephone follow-up by study nurses. The intervention was made by continuous telephone contact, with counseling on healthy living and titration of medicines to reach target values for blood pressure and blood lipids. Exclusion criteria were limited to physical inability to follow the study design or participation in another study.

Results

A total of 907 patients were assessed for inclusion. Of these, 661 (72.9 %) were included and randomized, 100 (11 %) declined participation, and 146 (16.1 %) were excluded. The main reasons for exclusion were participation in another trial, dementia, and advanced disease. “Excluded” and “declining” patients were significantly older with more co-morbidity, decreased functional status, and had more seldom received education above compulsory school level than “included” patients. Non-participants had a higher 1-year mortality than participants.

Conclusions

Nurse-led telephone-based follow-up after ACS can be applied to a large proportion in an unselected clinical setting. Reasons for non-participation, which were associated with increased mortality, include older age, multiple co-morbidities, decreased functional status and low level of education.

Trial registration

International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN): ISRCTN96595458 (archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6RlyhYTYK). Application date: 10 July 2011.

Global, regional, and national disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for 306 diseases and injuries and healthy life expectancy (HALE) for 188 countries, 1990-2013: quantifying the epidemiological transition

BACKGROUND

The Global Burden of Disease Study 2013 (GBD 2013) aims to bring together all available epidemiological data using a coherent measurement framework, standardised estimation methods, and transparent data sources to enable comparisons of health loss over time and across causes, age-sex groups, and countries. The GBD can be used to generate summary measures such as disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) and healthy life expectancy (HALE) that make possible comparative assessments of broad epidemiological patterns across countries and time. These summary measures can also be used to quantify the component of variation in epidemiology that is related to sociodemographic development.

METHODS

We used the published GBD 2013 data for age-specific mortality, years of life lost due to premature mortality (YLLs), and years lived with disability (YLDs) to calculate DALYs and HALE for 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2013 for 188 countries. We calculated HALE using the Sullivan method; 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) represent uncertainty in age-specific death rates and YLDs per person for each country, age, sex, and year. We estimated DALYs for 306 causes for each country as the sum of YLLs and YLDs; 95% UIs represent uncertainty in YLL and YLD rates. We quantified patterns of the epidemiological transition with a composite indicator of sociodemographic status, which we constructed from income per person, average years of schooling after age 15 years, and the total fertility rate and mean age of the population. We applied hierarchical regression to DALY rates by cause across countries to decompose variance related to the sociodemographic status variable, country, and time.

FINDINGS

Worldwide, from 1990 to 2013, life expectancy at birth rose by 6·2 years (95% UI 5·6-6·6), from 65·3 years (65·0-65·6) in 1990 to 71·5 years (71·0-71·9) in 2013, HALE at birth rose by 5·4 years (4·9-5·8), from 56·9 years (54·5-59·1) to 62·3 years (59·7-64·8), total DALYs fell by 3·6% (0·3-7·4), and age-standardised DALY rates per 100 000 people fell by 26·7% (24·6-29·1). For communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional disorders, global DALY numbers, crude rates, and age-standardised rates have all declined between 1990 and 2013, whereas for non-communicable diseases, global DALYs have been increasing, DALY rates have remained nearly constant, and age-standardised DALY rates declined during the same period. From 2005 to 2013, the number of DALYs increased for most specific non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular diseases and neoplasms, in addition to dengue, food-borne trematodes, and leishmaniasis; DALYs decreased for nearly all other causes. By 2013, the five leading causes of DALYs were ischaemic heart disease, lower respiratory infections, cerebrovascular disease, low back and neck pain, and road injuries. Sociodemographic status explained more than 50% of the variance between countries and over time for diarrhoea, lower respiratory infections, and other common infectious diseases; maternal disorders; neonatal disorders; nutritional deficiencies; other communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional diseases; musculoskeletal disorders; and other non-communicable diseases. However, sociodemographic status explained less than 10% of the variance in DALY rates for cardiovascular diseases; chronic respiratory diseases; cirrhosis; diabetes, urogenital, blood, and endocrine diseases; unintentional injuries; and self-harm and interpersonal violence. Predictably, increased sociodemographic status was associated with a shift in burden from YLLs to YLDs, driven by declines in YLLs and increases in YLDs from musculoskeletal disorders, neurological disorders, and mental and substance use disorders. In most country-specific estimates, the increase in life expectancy was greater than that in HALE. Leading causes of DALYs are highly variable across countries.

INTERPRETATION

Global health is improving. Population growth and ageing have driven up numbers of DALYs, but crude rates have remained relatively constant, showing that progress in health does not mean fewer demands on health systems. The notion of an epidemiological transition--in which increasing sociodemographic status brings structured change in disease burden--is useful, but there is tremendous variation in burden of disease that is not associated with sociodemographic status. This further underscores the need for country-specific assessments of DALYs and HALE to appropriately inform health policy decisions and attendant actions.

FUNDING

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.