Social differences in health in an affluent Danish county

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Socioeconomic Determinants of Health
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Socioeconomic factors significantly influence population health outcomes.
• Understanding these determinants is crucial for targeted public health interventions.
• This study investigates health indicators in relation to social conditions within a Danish county.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the relationship between selected health indicators and the level of social conditions in Danish municipalities.
• To assess if socioeconomic variations impact mortality, cancer incidence, hospitalizations, and health service utilization.
• To determine if health disparities exist despite a welfare state context.

Main Methods:

• Municipalities were stratified into three groups based on a social status score derived from 10 variables.
• Health data, including mortality, hospital discharge rates, and cancer incidence, were collected from National Registers.
• Health services use patterns were analyzed across the defined socioeconomic groups.

Main Results:

• A clear gradient was observed across all-cause, infant, and cause-specific mortality.
• Higher cancer incidence and health service utilization correlated with lower socioeconomic status.
• Most analyzed health indicators were more prevalent in the least affluent municipalities, with exceptions for breast cancer, melanoma, and general practice use.

Conclusions:

• Socioeconomic characteristics of municipalities are associated with variations in health indicators, even in affluent regions.
• The findings suggest that socioeconomic disparities contribute to health inequalities.
• Policy implications include addressing socioeconomic determinants to reduce health differences.