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Education inequalities in adult all-cause mortality: first national data for Australia using linked census and mortality data.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:National linked mortality and census data have not previously been available for Australia. We estimated education-based mortality inequalities from linked census and mortality data that are suitable for international comparisons. METHODS:We used the Australian Bureau of Statistics Death Registrations to Census file, with data on deaths (2011-2012) linked probabilistically to census data (linkage rate 81%). To assess validity, we compared mortality rates by age group (25-44, 45-64, 65-84?years), sex and area-inequality measures to those based on complete death registration data. We used negative binomial regression to quantify inequalities in all-cause mortality in relation to five levels of education ['Bachelor degree or higher' (highest) to 'no Year 12 and no post-secondary qualification' (lowest)], separately by sex and age group, adjusting for single year of age and correcting for linkage bias and missing education data. RESULTS:Mortality rates and area-based inequality estimates were comparable to published national estimates. Men aged 25-84?years with the lowest education had age-adjusted mortality rates 2.20 [95% confidence interval (CI): 2.08?2.33] times those of men with the highest education. Among women, the rate ratio was 1.64 (1.55?1.74). Rate ratios were 3.87 (3.38?4.44) in men and 2.57 (2.15?3.07) in women aged 25-44?years, decreasing to 1.68 (1.60?1.76) in men and 1.44 (1.36?1.53) in women aged 65-84?years. Absolute education inequalities increased with age. One in three to four deaths (31%) was associated with less than Bachelor level education. CONCLUSIONS:These linked national data enabled valid estimates of education inequality in mortality suitable for international comparisons. The magnitude of relative inequality is substantial and similar to that reported for other high-income countries.

SUBMITTER: Korda RJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7266531 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Education inequalities in adult all-cause mortality: first national data for Australia using linked census and mortality data.

Korda Rosemary J RJ Biddle Nicholas N Lynch John J Eynstone-Hinkins James J Soga Kay K Banks Emily E Priest Naomi N Moon Lynelle L Blakely Tony T

International journal of epidemiology 20200401 2

<h4>Background</h4>National linked mortality and census data have not previously been available for Australia. We estimated education-based mortality inequalities from linked census and mortality data that are suitable for international comparisons.<h4>Methods</h4>We used the Australian Bureau of Statistics Death Registrations to Census file, with data on deaths (2011-2012) linked probabilistically to census data (linkage rate 81%). To assess validity, we compared mortality rates by age group (2 ...[more]

PMID: 31581296

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Project description:BackgroundSocioeconomic inequalities in mortality are evident in all high-income countries, and ongoing monitoring is recommended using linked census-mortality data. Using such data, we provide the first estimates of education-related inequalities in cause-specific mortality in Australia, suitable for international comparisons.MethodsWe used Australian Census (2016) linked to 13 months of Death Registrations (2016-17). We estimated relative rates (RR) and rate differences (RD, per 100 000 person-years), comparing rates in low (no qualifications) and intermediate (secondary school) with high (tertiary) education for individual causes of death (among those aged 25-84 years) and grouped according to preventability (25-74 years), separately by sex and age group, adjusting for age, using negative binomial regression.ResultsAmong 13.9 M people contributing 14 452 732 person-years, 84 743 deaths occurred. All-cause mortality rates among men and women aged 25-84 years with low education were 2.76 [95% confidence interval (CI): 2.61-2.91] and 2.13 (2.01-2.26) times the rates of those with high education, respectively. We observed inequalities in most causes of death in each age-sex group. Among men aged 25-44 years, relative and absolute inequalities were largest for injuries, e.g. transport accidents [RR = 10.1 (5.4-18.7), RD = 21.2 (14.5-27.9)]). Among those aged 45-64 years, inequalities were greatest for chronic diseases, e.g. lung cancer [men RR = 6.6 (4.9-8.9), RD = 57.7 (49.7-65.8)] and ischaemic heart disease [women RR = 5.8 (3.7-9.1), RD = 20.2 (15.8-24.6)], with similar patterns for people aged 65-84 years. When grouped according to preventability, inequalities were large for causes amenable to behaviour change and medical intervention for all ages and causes amenable to injury prevention among young men.ConclusionsAustralian education-related inequalities in mortality are substantial, generally higher than international estimates, and related to preventability. Findings highlight opportunities to reduce them and the potential to improve the health of the population.

Project description:ObjectivesTo estimate and quantify childhood mortality, its spatial correlates and the impact of potential correlates using recent census data from three sub-Saharan African countries (Rwanda, Senegal and Uganda), where evidence is lacking.DesignCross-sectional.SettingNation-wide census samples from three African countries participating in the 2010 African Census round. All three countries have conducted recent censuses and have information on mortality of children under 5 years.Participants111 288 children under the age of 5 years in three countries.Primary and secondary outcome measuresUnder-five mortality was assessed alongside potential correlates including geographical location (where children live), and environmental, bio-demographic and socioeconomic variables.ResultsMultivariate analysis indicates that in all three countries the overall risk of child death in the first 5 years of life has decreased in recent years (Rwanda: HR=0.04, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.09; Senegal: HR=0.02 (95% CI 0.02 to 0.05); Uganda: HR=0.011 (95% CI 0.006 to 0.018). In Rwanda, lower deaths were associated with living in urban areas (0.79, 0.73, 0.83), children with living mother (HR=0.16, 95% CI 0.15 to 0.17) or living father (HR=0.38, 95% CI 0.36 to 0.39). Higher death was associated with male children (HR=1.06, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.08) and Christian children (HR=1.14, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.27). Children less than 1 year were associated with higher risk of death compared to older children in the three countries. Also, there were significant spatial variations showing inequalities in children mortality by geographic location. In Uganda, for example, areas of high risk are in the south-west and north-west and Kampala district showed a significantly reduced risk.ConclusionsWe provide clear evidence of considerable geographical variation of under-five mortality which is unexplained by factors considered in the data. The resulting under-five mortality maps can be used as a practical tool for monitoring progress within countries for the Millennium Development Goal 4 to reduce under-five mortality in half by 2015.

Project description:Although excessive alcohol-related mortality in the post-Soviet countries remains the major public health threat, determinants of this phenomenon are still poorly understood.We assess simultaneously individual- and area-level factors associated with an elevated risk of alcohol-related mortality among Lithuanian males aged 30-64.Our analysis is based on a census-linked dataset containing information on individual- and area-level characteristics and death events which occurred between March 1st, 2011 and December 31st, 2013. We limit the analysis to a few causes of death which are directly linked to excessive alcohol consumption: accidental poisonings by alcohol (X45) and liver cirrhosis (K70 and K74). Multilevel Poisson regression models with random intercepts are applied to estimate mortality rate ratios (MRR).The selected individual-level characteristics are important predictors of alcohol-related mortality, whereas area-level variables show much less pronounced or insignificant effects. Compared to married men, never married (MRR = 1.9, CI:1.6-2.2), divorced (MRR = 2.6, CI:2.3-2.9), and widowed (MRR = 2.4, CI: 1.8-3.1) men are disadvantaged groups. Men who have the lowest level of educational attainment have the highest mortality risk (MRR = 1.7 CI:1.4-2.1). Being unemployed is associated with a five-fold risk of alcohol-related death (MRR = 5.1, CI: 4.4-5.9), even after adjusting for all other individual variables. Lithuanian males have an advantage over Russian (MRR = 1.3, CI:1.1-1.6) and Polish (MRR = 1.8, CI: 1.5-2.2) males. After adjusting for all individual characteristics, only two out of seven area-level variables-i.e., the share of ethnic minorities in the population and the election turnout-have statistically significant direct associations. These variables contribute to a higher risk of alcohol-related mortality at the individual level.The huge and increasing socio-economic disparities in alcohol-related mortality indicate that recently implemented anti-alcohol measures in Lithuania should be reinforced by specific measures targeting the most disadvantaged population groups and geographical areas.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Active travel is increasingly recognised as an important source of physical activity. We aimed to describe associations between commute mode and cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all-cause mortality. METHODS:We analysed data from the Office for National Statistics Longitudinal Study of England and Wales (ONS-LS), which linked data from the Census of England and Wales (henceforth referred to as the Census) for 1991, 2001, and 2011 to mortality and cancer registrations. The cohort included individuals traced in the ONS-LS who were economically active (ie, aged ?16 years, not retired from work, and not a full-time carer). Commuting by private motorised transport, public transport, walking, and cycling were compared in terms of all-cause mortality, cancer mortality, cardiovascular disease mortality, and cancer incidence, using Cox proportional-hazards models with time-varying covariates. Models were adjusted for age, sex, housing tenure, marital status, ethnicity, university education, car access, population density, socioeconomic classification, Carstairs index quintile, long-term illness, and year entered the study, and were additionally stratified by socioeconomic group. FINDINGS:Between the 1991 Census and the 2011 Census, 784?677 individuals contributed data for at least one Census, of whom 394?746 were included in the ONS-LS and were considered to be economically active working-age individuals. 13?983 people died, 3172 from cardiovascular disease and 6509 from cancer, and there were 20?980 incident cancer cases. In adjusted models, compared with commuting by private motorised vehicle, bicycle commuting was associated with a 20% reduced rate of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 0·80, 95% CI 0·73-0·89), a 24% decreased rate of cardiovascular disease mortality (0·76, 0·61-0·93), a 16% lower rate of cancer mortality (0·84, 0·73-0·98), and an 11% reduced rate of incident cancer (0·89, 0·82-0·97). Compared with commuting by private motorised vehicle, rail commuters had a 10% lower rate of all-cause mortality (HR 0·90, 95% CI 0·83-0·97) and a 21% decreased rate of cardiovascular disease mortality (0·79, 0·67-0·94), in addition to a 12% reduced rate of incident cancer (0·88, 0·83-0·94). Walk commuting was associated with 7% lower cancer incidence (HR 0·93, 95% CI 0·89-0·97) Stratified analyses did not indicate differences in associations between socioeconomic groups. INTERPRETATION:Our findings augment existing evidence for the beneficial health effects of physically active commute modes, particularly cycling and train use, and suggest that all socioeconomic groups could benefit. FUNDING:National Institute for Health Research.

Project description:BackgroundTo investigate the association between pre-diagnostic colonoscopy and colorectal cancer mortality in South Australia.MethodsColonoscopy histories were obtained for colorectal cancer patients diagnosed in 2003-2013 using linked Medical Benefits Schedule (MBS) claims, hospital-inpatient and cancer-registry data. Colonoscopy histories included the year of colonoscopy, numbers of examinations, and the time from first colonoscopy to diagnosis. Histories of multiple exposures to colonoscopies, and exposures of greater than a year from initial colonoscopy to diagnosis, were regarded as indicators of screening or surveillance activity. Colonoscopies occurring within one year of diagnosis were regarded as more likely to be a response to cancer symptoms than those occurring > 1 year before diagnosis. Associations between colonoscopy history and post-diagnostic survival were analysed using sub-hazard ratios (SHRs) from competing risk regression adjusted for socio-demographic and cancer characteristics.ResultsHaving pre-diagnostic colonoscopy was associated with an unadjusted reduction in risk of colorectal cancer death of 17% (SHR: 0.83, 95% CI 0.78-0.89). After adjusting for time period and sociodemographic characteristics, the risk of colorectal cancer death reduced by 17% for one pre-diagnostic colonoscopy examination; 27% for two pre-diagnostic colonoscopy examinations; and 45% for three or more pre-diagnostic colonoscopy examinations. Those with a time of over one year from first colonoscopy in the study window to diagnosis, when compared with less than one year, had a 17% lower risk of colorectal cancer death in this adjusted analysis. These reductions were substantially reduced or eliminated when also adjusting for less advanced stage.ConclusionsPre-diagnostic colonoscopy, and more so, multiple colonoscopies and first colonoscopy occurring over one year from initial colonoscopy to diagnosis, were associated with longer survival post diagnosis. This was largely explained by less advanced cancer stage at the time of diagnosis.

Dataset Information

Education inequalities in adult all-cause mortality: first national data for Australia using linked census and mortality data.

Publications

Education inequalities in adult all-cause mortality: first national data for Australia using linked census and mortality data.

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