Social Inequalities in Breast Cancer Mortality Among French Women
Author Information
Author(s): Gwenn Menvielle, Annette Leclerc, Jean-François Chastang, Danièle Luce
Primary Institution: INSERM, U687, Saint-Maurice, France
Hypothesis
How have social inequalities in breast cancer mortality among French women changed from 1968 to 1996?
Conclusion
Educational disparities in breast cancer mortality among French women have decreased significantly from the 1970s to the 1990s.
Supporting Evidence
- Breast cancer mortality risks were higher among women of high socioeconomic status in the 1970s.
- The positive association between education and breast cancer mortality weakened over the decades.
- By the 1990s, no association between education and mortality was observed among women born after 1925.
- Educational level among French women increased significantly during the study period.
Takeaway
This study found that over time, women with higher education levels had less breast cancer mortality compared to those with lower education, but this gap has been closing.
Methodology
The study analyzed a representative 1% sample of the French population over four subcohorts from 1968 to 1996, linking causes of death with educational levels.
Potential Biases
Potential underestimation of educational inequalities due to changes in educational classification in 1990.
Limitations
The study could not investigate changes in the prevalence of breast cancer risk factors associated with education.
Participant Demographics
Women aged 35-74 from the French population.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
95% CI
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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