Citation

van Lenthe FJ, van Beeck EF, Gevers E, Mackenbach JP. J. Clin. Epidemiol. 2004; 57(9): 945-953.

Affiliation

Department of Public Health, Erasmus Medical Centre, P.O. Box 1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jclinepi.2003.11.017

PMID

15504637

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: We describe educational inequalities in the incidence of injuries resulting in hospital admission and explore the contribution of exposure variables and chronic diseases, alcohol consumption, and sedative use to the observed inequalities. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Data from the Dutch prospective GLOBE study were linked to the National Hospital Discharge Register after 7 years of follow-up. RESULTS: Significantly higher hazard ratios (HRs) of traffic injuries in lower compared with higher educational groups were substantially reduced after adjustment for differences in the use of cars and mopeds between these groups. Significantly increased HRs in occupational, home, and sports (OHS) injuries in lower compared with higher educational groups were reduced after adjustment for higher prevalence rates of chronic diseases, very excessive alcohol consumption, and sedative use in lower educational groups. CONCLUSION: Exposure variables, chronic diseases, alcohol consumption, and sedative use contribute to educational inequalities in traffic and OHS injuries resulting in hospital admission.