Socioeconomic differences in stroke among Dutch elderly women: The Rotterdam study

CTM van Rossum*, Dike van de Mheen, MMB Breteler, DE Grobbee, JP Mackenbach

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

82 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background and Purpose

We sought to assess the association between socioeconomic status and the risk of stroke among elderly women.

Methods

The association between socioeconomic status and stroke emerged in cross-sectional and longitudinal data on 4274 female participants of the Rotterdam Study, a prospective, population-based, follow-up study in the Netherlands among older subjects.

Results

A history of stroke was more common among women in lower socioeconomic strata. The same trend was observed for the relationship between the lowest socioeconomic groups and the incidence of stroke. Risk factors for stroke were not related to socioeconomic status in a consistent manner. Smoking, history of cardiovascular diseases, and overweight were more common in lower socioeconomic groups. However, socioeconomic differences in hypertension, antihypertensive drug use, prevalence of atrial fibrillation, and prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy were not observed. The complex of established risk factors could only partly explain the association between socioeconomic status and stroke.

Conclusions

There is a strong association among elderly women between socioeconomic status and stroke. The association could only partly be explained by known risk factors. Our findings indicate that not only the actual risk profile but also risk factors earlier in life may be of importance.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)357-362
JournalStroke. Journal of the American Heart Association
Volume30
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1999
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • aged
  • risk factors
  • socioeconomic factors
  • stroke
  • CORONARY HEART-DISEASE
  • SOCIAL-CLASS
  • UNITED-STATES
  • MORTALITY
  • INEQUALITIES
  • RISK
  • MEN
  • AGE
  • NETHERLANDS
  • ENGLAND

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