The EPIC-Norfolk Study
Area deprivation predicts lung function independently of education and social class.
The European respiratory journal 2004 ; 24: 157-61.
Shohaimi S, Welch A, Bingham S, Luben R, Day N, Wareham N, and Khaw KT
DOI : 10.1183/09031936.04.00088303
PubMed ID : 15293619
PMCID :
URL : https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/24/1/157
Abstract
The cross-sectional association between socioeconomic status (at both the individual and area-based level) and lung function, as measured by forced expiratory volume in one second, in a large population-based cohort was investigated. The study population consisted of 22,675 males and females aged 39-79 yrs. They were recruited from the general community in Norfolk, UK using general practice age/sex registers, as part of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer (EPIC-Norfolk). It was found that being in a manual occupational social class, having no educational qualifications and living in a deprived area all independently predicted significantly lower lung function, even after controlling for smoking habit. The influence of area-deprivation on lung function, independent of individual socioeconomic status and of individual smoking habit, suggests that apart from targeting individuals who are at high-risk, such as smokers, environmental determinants also need to be examined when considering measures to improve respiratory health.