Affiliation:
1. Brussels Institute for Social and Population Studies/Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
Abstract
This study investigates the association between socioeconomic position (SEP) – in terms of income and education – and mortality from neurodegenerative diseases, that is, dementia, parkinsonism, and motor neuron diseases (MNDs). We calculated age-standardized mortality rates and mortality rate ratios using log linear Poisson regression for different SEP groups, stratified by gender, age-group, and care home residency, utilizing the 2011 Belgian census linked to register data on cause-specific mortality for 2011 to 2016. Mortality was significantly higher in the lowest educational- and income groups. The largest disparities were found in dementia mortality. Income had a strong negative effect on parkinsonism mortality, education a positive effect. We found no significant association between SEP and MND. Our study provides evidence supporting the presence of socioeconomic disparities in mortality due to neurodegeneration. We found a strong negative association between SEP and NDD mortality, which varies between NDD, gender and care home residency.
Funder
Fonds De La Recherche Scientifique - FNRS
Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek
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