Level of Education Modifies Asthma Mortality in Norway and Sweden. The Nordic EpiLung Study.

Journal: Journal of asthma and allergy

Volume: 17

Issue: 

Year of Publication: 

Affiliated Institutions:  Section of Sustainable Health/ the OLIN Unit, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden. K.G. Jebsen Center for Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology NTNU, Trondheim, Norway. Department of Respiratory Medicine, Seinäjoki Central Hospital, Seinäjoki, Finland. Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine Unit, Helsinki University Hospital's Diagnostic Center and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. Krefting Research Centre, Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Nutrition, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. HUNT Research Centre, Department of Public Health and Nursing, NTNU, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Levanger, Norway. Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.

Abstract summary 

The relationship between socioeconomic status (SES), asthma and mortality is complex and multifaceted, and it is not established if educational level modifies the association between asthma and mortality. The aim was to study the association between asthma and mortality in Sweden and Norway and to what extent educational level modifies this association.Within the Nordic EpiLung Study, >56,000 individuals aged 30-69 years participated in population-based surveys on asthma and associated risk factors in Sweden and Norway during 2005-2007. Data on educational level and 10-year all-cause mortality were linked by national authorities. The fraction of mortality risk attributable to asthma was calculated, and Cox regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for mortality related to asthma, stratified by educational level.In total, 5.5% of all deaths was attributed to asthma. When adjusted for potential confounders, the HR for mortality related to asthma was 1.71 (95% CI 1.52-1.93). Those with primary level of education had higher hazard of all-cause death related to asthma than those with tertiary level (HR 1.80, 95% CI 1.48-2.18, vs HR 1.39, 95% CI 0.99-1.95).Asthma was associated with an overall 71% increased all-cause mortality and 5.5% of deaths can be attributed to asthma. Educational levels modified the risk of mortality associated with asthma, with the highest risk among those with primary education.

Authors & Co-authors:  Backman Bhatta Hedman Brumpton Vähätalo Lassmann-Klee Nwaru Ekerljung Krokstad Aalberg Vikjord Lindberg Kankaanranta Rönmark Langhammer

Study Outcome 

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Statistics
Citations :  Langhammer A, Johnsen R, Gulsvik A, Holmen TL, Bjermer L. Sex differences in lung vulnerability to tobacco smoking. Eur Respir J. 2003;21(6):1017–1023. doi:10.1183/09031936.03.00053202
Authors :  14
Identifiers
Doi : 10.2147/JAA.S450103
SSN : 1178-6965
Study Population
Male,Female
Mesh Terms
Other Terms
cohort;epidemiology;prognosis
Study Design
Study Approach
Country of Study
Publication Country
New Zealand