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Erschienen in: European Journal of Epidemiology 4/2009

01.04.2009 | Pulmonary Diseases

How far can we explain the social class differential in respiratory function? A cross-sectional population study of 21,991 men and women from EPIC-Norfolk

verfasst von: Emily McFadden, Robert Luben, Nicholas Wareham, Sheila Bingham, Kay-Tee Khaw

Erschienen in: European Journal of Epidemiology | Ausgabe 4/2009

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Abstract

The objective of this study is to investigate the association between occupational social class and respiratory function, as measured by forced expiratory volume in one-second (FEV1). We examined the cross sectional relationship between lung function and social class in a population study of 21,991 men and women aged 39–79 years living in the general community in Norfolk, United Kingdom, recruited using general practice age–sex registers in 1993–1997. There was a significant socioeconomic gradient in age adjusted lung function with a difference of 0.37 in mean FEV1 in men and 0.20 in women, respectively between social class I and V. The age adjusted OR for having poor lung function was 4.13 (95% CI 2.66–6.42) in men and 2.64 (95% CI 1.74–3.99) in women for social class V compared to I. This difference was substantially attenuated after adjustment for height, weight, smoking status, respiratory illness, educational level, living in a deprived area, physical activity and plasma vitamin C levels. There was a strong socioeconomic gradient in respiratory function. In men the gradient appeared to be largely explained by smoking status and height; in women a large part of the gradient was explained by potentially modifiable factors. This suggests that socioeconomic inequalities in respiratory function may be preventable or modifiable and highlights factors for further exploration.
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Metadaten
Titel
How far can we explain the social class differential in respiratory function? A cross-sectional population study of 21,991 men and women from EPIC-Norfolk
verfasst von
Emily McFadden
Robert Luben
Nicholas Wareham
Sheila Bingham
Kay-Tee Khaw
Publikationsdatum
01.04.2009
Verlag
Springer Netherlands
Erschienen in
European Journal of Epidemiology / Ausgabe 4/2009
Print ISSN: 0393-2990
Elektronische ISSN: 1573-7284
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-009-9326-y

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