Social Class Differences in Coronary Risk Factors in Britain Over 20 Years
Author Information
Author(s): Ramsay Sheena E., Whincup Peter H., Hardoon Sarah L., Lennon Lucy T., Morris Richard W., Wannamethee S. G.
Primary Institution: University College London
Hypothesis
Did changes in established coronary risk factors in Britain over 20 years differ between socioeconomic groups?
Conclusion
Men in manual occupations experienced less favorable changes in key risk factors for coronary heart disease compared to those in non-manual occupations.
Supporting Evidence
- Men in manual occupations had a greater increase in BMI over 20 years.
- Non-HDL cholesterol declined less in manual than non-manual groups.
- HDL cholesterol increased less in manual groups compared to non-manual groups.
- Systolic blood pressure declined more in manual than non-manual groups.
- The odds of being a current smoker did not differ significantly between social classes.
Takeaway
This study looked at how heart disease risk factors changed for different job types over 20 years, finding that those with manual jobs got worse results.
Methodology
A cohort of 7735 British men aged 40–59 years was followed from 1978–80 to 1998–2000, measuring blood pressure, cholesterol, BMI, and smoking status.
Potential Biases
Non-response was slightly greater among manual compared to non-manual groups, which may affect the trends in social class differences.
Limitations
The study is limited to men and may not be generalizable to women or ethnic minorities; it also may overestimate favorable changes due to survivor bias.
Participant Demographics
British men aged 40–59 years at baseline, with a follow-up of 4252 survivors.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p for interaction ≤0.0001
Confidence Interval
95%CI 0.14–0.53
Statistical Significance
p<0.0001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website