Trends in Risk Factors for Lifestyle-related Diseases by Socioeconomic Position in Geneva, Switzerland, 1993-2000: Health Inequalities Persist

Overview

Journal Am J Public Health

Specialty Public Health

Date 2003 Aug 2

PMID 12893619

Citations 44

Authors

Bruna Galobardes

Michael C Costanza

Martine S Bernstein

Cecile Delhumeau

Alfredo Morabia

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objectives: We report on trends in risk factors for lifestyle-related diseases among socioeconomic position (SEP) groups.

Methods: We continuously surveyed the adult population of Geneva, Switzerland, for 8 years (1993-2000) with independent, cross-sectional surveys of representative samples (4207 men and 3987 women aged 35-74 years). Age-adjusted linear regression slopes estimated annual risk factor trends. Interaction terms were tested for trend differences between SEP groups.

Results: Overall, low-SEP persons had the worst risk factor profiles. Eight-year trends indicate that (1) number of pack-years smoked decreased by half a pack-year among high-SEP female current smokers only; (2) obesity prevalence more than doubled from 5% to 11% among high-SEP men only; (3) systolic and diastolic blood pressures decreased similarly in all SEP groups; (4) unsaturated-to-saturated dietary fat ratio declined in the low-SEP group only; and (5) physical inactivity and current/former cigarette smoking prevalences remained unchanged in all SEP groups.

Conclusions: Smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, and physical inactivity are more prevalent among low-SEP persons. Most socioeconomic risk factor differences remained stable in the 1990s. Thus, social inequalities in chronic disease morbidity and mortality will persist in the next decades.

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