Lipowicz Anna, Kozieł Sławomir, Hulanicka Barbara, Kowalisko Alicja
Institute of Anthropology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wrocław, Poland.
J Biosoc Sci. 2007 Jul;39(4):481-91. doi: 10.1017/S0021932006001799. Epub 2007 Jan 5.
It has been widely observed that socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with frequency of cardiovascular disease. Both men and women of low socioeconomic position have increased risk of cardiovascular disease morbidity and premature death. In this study the relationship between SES in childhood, and health status at the age of 50 years was examined. Socioeconomic status in childhood was measured using objective (father's educational level and number of children in the family) and subjective (self-assessed SES in childhood declared in early adulthood) indicators. Data from the Wroclaw Growth Study were completed when subjects were 50 years old, and information concerning health status was added. The results indicated that the objective, universally used measures of SES in childhood such as father's educational level and size of family did not show any essential relationships with health outcomes in adulthood, both for men and women. By contrast, retrospective, self-assessed SES (as better, average or worse as compared with peers) in childhood was significantly associated with the appearance of cardiovascular disease among women aged 50 years. Women who at the beginning of their adult life declared better socioeconomic condition in childhood were significantly healthier at the age of 50 years (OR=3.43; p=0.02). Moreover, this appeared to be independent of BMI, SES and life-style in adulthood. For men, retrospective self-assessed SES showed no relation to health status at the age of 50 years. The gender differences in the relationships between self-assessed SES in childhood and health status in adulthood are explained by possible selective premature mortality among men from lower childhood SES and/or sex differences in cognitive abilities.
人们普遍观察到，社会经济地位（SES）与心血管疾病的发病频率相关。社会经济地位较低的男性和女性患心血管疾病和过早死亡的风险均有所增加。在本研究中，对儿童时期的社会经济地位与50岁时的健康状况之间的关系进行了调查。儿童时期的社会经济地位通过客观指标（父亲的教育水平和家庭子女数量）和主观指标（成年早期申报的童年时期自我评估的社会经济地位）来衡量。弗罗茨瓦夫生长研究的数据在受试者50岁时完成，并补充了有关健康状况的信息。结果表明，儿童时期普遍使用的社会经济地位客观衡量指标，如父亲的教育水平和家庭规模，与成年后的健康结果之间没有显示出任何本质联系，无论男性还是女性都是如此。相比之下，童年时期回顾性的自我评估社会经济地位（与同龄人相比更好、平均或更差）与50岁女性心血管疾病的出现显著相关。成年初期宣称童年时期社会经济状况更好的女性在50岁时明显更健康（OR = 3.43；p = 0.02）。此外，这似乎独立于成年后的体重指数、社会经济地位和生活方式。对于男性来说，回顾性自我评估的社会经济地位与50岁时的健康状况无关。童年时期自我评估的社会经济地位与成年后健康状况之间关系的性别差异，可能是由于童年社会经济地位较低的男性中可能存在的选择性过早死亡和/或认知能力的性别差异所导致的。
