BACKGROUND: The independent influence of childhood social circumstances on health in later life remains uncertain. We examined the extent to which childhood socio-economic circumstances are related to the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) in older British men, taking account of adult social class and behavioural risk factors. METHODS: A socio-economically representative sample of 5552 British men (52-74 years) with retrospective assessment of childhood socio-economic circumstances (father's occupation and childhood household amenities) who were followed up for CHD (fatal and non-fatal) for 12 years. RESULTS: Men whose childhood social class was manual had an increased hazard ratio (HR) 1.34 (95% CI 1.11-1.63)-this effect was diminished when adjusted for adult social class and adult behavioural risk factors (cigarette smoking, alcohol, physical activity and body weight) (HR 1.19; 95% CI 0.97-1.46). Men whose family did not own a car in their childhood were at increased CHD risk even after adjustments for adult social class and behaviours (HR 1.35, 95% CI 1.04-1.75). Men with combined exposure to both childhood and adult manual social class had the highest risk of CHD (HR 1.51; 95% CI 1.19-1.91); this was substantially reduced by adjustment for adult behavioural risk factors (adjusted HR 1.28; 95% CI 0.99-1.65). CONCLUSIONS: Less affluent socio-economic conditions in childhood may have a modest persisting influence on risk of CHD in later life.
BACKGROUND: The independent influence of childhood social circumstances on health in later life remains uncertain. We examined the extent to which childhood socio-economic circumstances are related to the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) in older British men, taking account of adult social class and behavioural risk factors. METHODS: A socio-economically representative sample of 5552 British men (52-74 years) with retrospective assessment of childhood socio-economic circumstances (father's occupation and childhood household amenities) who were followed up for CHD (fatal and non-fatal) for 12 years. RESULTS: Men whose childhood social class was manual had an increased hazard ratio (HR) 1.34 (95% CI 1.11-1.63)-this effect was diminished when adjusted for adult social class and adult behavioural risk factors (cigarette smoking, alcohol, physical activity and body weight) (HR 1.19; 95% CI 0.97-1.46). Men whose family did not own a car in their childhood were at increased CHD risk even after adjustments for adult social class and behaviours (HR 1.35, 95% CI 1.04-1.75). Men with combined exposure to both childhood and adult manual social class had the highest risk of CHD (HR 1.51; 95% CI 1.19-1.91); this was substantially reduced by adjustment for adult behavioural risk factors (adjusted HR 1.28; 95% CI 0.99-1.65). CONCLUSIONS: Less affluent socio-economic conditions in childhood may have a modest persisting influence on risk of CHD in later life.
Authors: M Kivimäki; G Davey Smith; M Juonala; J E Ferrie; L Keltikangas-Järvinen; M Elovainio; L Pulkki-Råback; J Vahtera; M Leino; J S A Viikari; O T Raitakari Journal: Heart Date: 2005-09-13 Impact factor: 5.994
Authors: G David Batty; Debbie A Lawlor; Sally Macintyre; Heather Clark; David A Leon Journal: J Epidemiol Community Health Date: 2005-10 Impact factor: 3.710
Authors: Richard S Liu; Allison E Aiello; Fiona K Mensah; Constantine E Gasser; Kuna Rueb; Billie Cordell; Markus Juonala; Melissa Wake; David P Burgner Journal: J Epidemiol Community Health Date: 2017-05-10 Impact factor: 3.710
Authors: Amy L Non; Marissa Rewak; Ichiro Kawachi; Stephen E Gilman; Eric B Loucks; Allison A Appleton; Jorge C Román; Stephen L Buka; Laura D Kubzansky Journal: Am J Epidemiol Date: 2014-06-26 Impact factor: 4.897
Authors: Ahmed Elhakeem; Rebecca Hardy; David Bann; Rishi Caleyachetty; Theodore D Cosco; Richard Pg Hayhoe; Stella G Muthuri; Rebecca Wilson; Rachel Cooper Journal: J Epidemiol Community Health Date: 2016-12-15 Impact factor: 6.286
Authors: Emily T Murray; Rebecca Jones; Claudia Thomas; Arjun K Ghosh; Naveed Sattar; John Deanfield; Rebecca Hardy; Diana Kuh; Alun D Hughes; Peter Whincup Journal: PLoS One Date: 2016-03-31 Impact factor: 3.240