Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status Predicts Non-Cardiovascular Mortality in Cardiac Patients
Author Information
Author(s): Heslop Claire L., Miller Gregory E., Hill John S.
Primary Institution: University of British Columbia-St. Paul's Hospital
Hypothesis
Does mortality from cardiovascular disease or other causes vary by neighborhood socioeconomic gradients in patients accessing healthcare for cardiovascular disease management?
Conclusion
CAD patients in lower-socioeconomic neighborhoods are more vulnerable to non-cardiovascular chronic disease mortality, especially from cancer.
Supporting Evidence
- Lower neighborhood employment, education, and income predict increased non-cardiovascular mortality risk.
- Each quintile decrease in neighborhood socioeconomic status raises non-cardiovascular mortality risk by 21–30%.
- Significant disparities in cancer mortality were observed related to neighborhood unemployment and income.
Takeaway
People with heart problems who live in poorer neighborhoods are more likely to die from diseases that aren't heart-related, like cancer.
Methodology
A cohort of 485 patients with coronary artery disease was followed for 13.3 years, analyzing mortality rates in relation to neighborhood socioeconomic status.
Potential Biases
Recall bias and measurement error may affect the accuracy of self-reported data.
Limitations
Individual-level socioeconomic information was not collected, and the study may lack power to investigate each cause of death separately.
Participant Demographics
79% male, 21% female, mean age 61 years, 72% current or former smokers, 19% had diabetes.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
1.21 (1.02–1.42), 1.21 (1.01–1.46), 1.30 (1.06–1.60)
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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