Mortality decrease according to socioeconomic groups during the economic crisis in Spain: a cohort study of 36...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Socioeconomic Determinants of Health

Background:

• Limited research exists on how macroeconomic fluctuations impact mortality across diverse socioeconomic strata.
• Previous studies have yielded inconsistent findings regarding the relationship between economic downturns and mortality rates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze mortality trends in Spain before and during the Great Recession.
• To quantify changes in mortality rates within different socioeconomic groups during the economic crisis.

Main Methods:

• Nationwide prospective study using 2001 Census data, following individuals aged 10-74 until 2011.
• Socioeconomic status classified by household floor space and number of cars owned.
• Poisson regression used to calculate annual percentage reduction (APR) in mortality rates pre-crisis (2004-2007) and during crisis (2008-2011).

Main Results:

• All-cause mortality decline accelerated during the crisis across all socioeconomic groups compared to the pre-crisis period.
• The low socioeconomic group exhibited the largest effect size for mortality reduction, indicated by both wealth indicators.
• Annual decline in all-cause mortality increased significantly for the low socioeconomic group during the crisis (3.0% by floor space, 2.3% by car ownership).

Conclusions:

• Economic crises, like the Great Recession in Spain, may lead to decreased exposure to risk factors, resulting in lower all-cause mortality.
• The positive impact of the economic crisis on mortality reduction was most pronounced in the lowest socioeconomic strata.
• Findings highlight the differential impact of economic fluctuations on public health outcomes across socioeconomic gradients.