Comparison of smoking reduction with improvement of social conditions in early life: simulation in a British cohort

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benoit Lepage ◽  
Hélène Colineaux ◽  
Michelle Kelly-Irving ◽  
Paolo Vineis ◽  
Cyrille Delpierre ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Educational Attainment ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Social Inequalities ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Relative Difference ◽  
Social Characteristics ◽  
Smoking Reduction ◽  
Health Care Evaluation ◽  
Parental Level ◽  
Expected Mortality

Abstract Background Health care evaluation models can be useful to assign different levels of priority to interventions or policies targeting different age groups or different determinants of health. We aimed to assess early mortality in counterfactual scenarios implying reduced adverse childhood experience (ACE) and/or improved educational attainment (childhood and early life characteristics), compared with a counterfactual scenario implying reduced smoking in adulthood. Methods We used data from the 1958 National Child Development Study British birth cohort, which initially included 18 558 subjects. Applying a potential outcome approach, scenarios were simulated to estimate the expected mortality between ages 16 and 55 under a counterfactual decrease by half of the observed level of exposure to (i) ACE, (ii) low educational attainment (at age 22), (iii) ACE and low educational attainment (a combined exposure) and (iv) smoking at age 33. Estimations were obtained using g-computation, separately for men and women. Analyses were further stratified according to the parental level of education, to assess social inequalities. Results The study population included 12 164 members. The estimated decrease in mortality in the counterfactual scenarios with reduced ACE and improved educational attainment was close to the decreased mortality in the counterfactual scenario with reduced smoking, showing a relative difference in mortality of respectively −7.2% [95% CI (confidence interval) = (−12.2% to 1.2%)] versus −7.0% (−13.1% to +1.2%) for women, and −9.9% (−15.6% to −6.2%) versus −12.3% (−17.0% to −5.9%) for men. Conclusions Our results highlight the potential value of targeting early social characteristics such as ACE and education, compared with well-recognized interventions on smoking.

scholarly journals Estimation of Excess Mortality and Years of Life Lost to COVID-19 in Norway and Sweden between March and November 2020

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (8) ◽  
pp. 3913
Author(s):  
Martin Rypdal ◽  
Kristoffer Rypdal ◽  
Ola Løvsletten ◽  
Sigrunn Holbek Sørbye ◽  
Elinor Ytterstad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Excess Mortality ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Years Of Life Lost ◽  
Regressive Model ◽  
Epidemic Period ◽  
All Cause Mortality ◽  
Auto Regressive ◽  
Expected Mortality ◽  
Auto Regressive Model ◽  
Excess Deaths

We estimate the weekly excess all-cause mortality in Norway and Sweden, the years of life lost (YLL) attributed to COVID-19 in Sweden, and the significance of mortality displacement. We computed the expected mortality by taking into account the declining trend and the seasonality in mortality in the two countries over the past 20 years. From the excess mortality in Sweden in 2019/20, we estimated the YLL attributed to COVID-19 using the life expectancy in different age groups. We adjusted this estimate for possible displacement using an auto-regressive model for the year-to-year variations in excess mortality. We found that excess all-cause mortality over the epidemic year, July 2019 to July 2020, was 517 (95%CI = (12, 1074)) in Norway and 4329 [3331, 5325] in Sweden. There were 255 COVID-19 related deaths reported in Norway, and 5741 in Sweden, that year. During the epidemic period of 11 March–11 November, there were 6247 reported COVID-19 deaths and 5517 (4701, 6330) excess deaths in Sweden. We estimated that the number of YLL attributed to COVID-19 in Sweden was 45,850 [13,915, 80,276] without adjusting for mortality displacement and 43,073 (12,160, 85,451) after adjusting for the displacement accounted for by the auto-regressive model. In conclusion, we find good agreement between officially recorded COVID-19 related deaths and all-cause excess deaths in both countries during the first epidemic wave and no significant mortality displacement that can explain those deaths.

scholarly journals Exploring the impact of early life factors on inequalities in risk of overweight in UK children: findings from the UK Millennium Cohort Study

2016 ◽  
Vol 101 (8) ◽  
pp. 724-730 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Massion ◽  
Sophie Wickham ◽  
Anna Pearce ◽  
Ben Barr ◽  
Catherine Law ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Life ◽  
Social Inequalities ◽  
Childhood Overweight ◽  
Smoking During Pregnancy ◽  
The Social ◽  
Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy ◽  
Early Life Factors ◽  
Uk Millennium Cohort Study ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Academic Qualifications

BackgroundOverweight and obesity in childhood are socially patterned, with higher prevalence in more disadvantaged populations, but it is unclear to what extent early life factors attenuate the social inequalities found in childhood overweight/obesity.MethodsWe estimated relative risks (RRs) for being overweight (combining with obesity) at age 11 in 11 764 children from the UK Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) according to socio-economic circumstances (SEC). Early life risk factors were explored to assess if they attenuated associations between SECs and overweight.Results28.84% of children were overweight at 11 years. Children of mothers with no academic qualifications were more likely to be overweight (RR 1.72, 95% CI 1.48 to 2.01) compared to children of mothers with degrees and higher degrees. Controlling for prenatal, perinatal, and early life characteristics (particularly maternal pre-pregnancy overweight and maternal smoking during pregnancy) reduced the RR for overweight to 1.44, 95% CI 1.23 to 1.69 in the group with the lowest academic qualifications compared to the highest.ConclusionsWe observed a clear social gradient in overweight 11-year-old children using a representative UK sample. Moreover, we identified specific early life risk factors, including maternal smoking during pregnancy and maternal pre-pregnancy overweight, that partially account for the social inequalities found in childhood overweight. Policies to support mothers to maintain a healthy weight, breastfeed and abstain from smoking during pregnancy are important to improve maternal and child health outcomes, and our study provides some evidence that they may also help to address the continuing rise in inequalities in childhood overweight.

scholarly journals School Performance and Educational Attainment as Early-Life Predictors of Age-Related Memory Decline: Protective Influences in Later-Born Cohorts

2018 ◽  
Vol 74 (8) ◽  
pp. 1357-1365 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Pudas ◽  
Michael Rönnlund
Keyword(s):  
Educational Attainment ◽  
School Performance ◽  
Cognitive Aging ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Further Education ◽  
Growth Curve Models ◽  
Age Cohorts ◽  
Memory Change ◽  
Age Related

Abstract Objectives Evidence is accumulating that early-life characteristics and experiences contribute significantly to differences in cognitive aging. This study investigated whether school performance at age 12 predicted late-life level and rate of memory change over 15–25 years, and whether its potential protective influence on memory change was mediated by educational attainment or income. Methods Latent growth curve models were fitted to 15–25 year longitudinal memory data from a population-based sample, stratified on age cohorts (n = 227, born 1909–1935; n = 301, born 1938–1954). Results A latent-level school grade variable significantly predicted both memory level and slope in later-born cohorts. Higher grades were associated with higher level and reduced decline, measured between ages 45 and 70 years, on average. In the earlier-born cohorts, grades predicted memory level, but not slope, measured between ages 66 and 81 years. Follow-up analyses indicated that the protective influence of higher school grades in later-born cohorts was partially mediated by educational attainment, but independent of income. Discussion The results suggest that higher childhood school performance is protective against age-related cognitive decline in younger or later-born cohorts, for which further education has been more accessible. Education may exert such influence through increased cognitive reserve or more well-informed health- and lifestyle decisions.

scholarly journals Varicella disease after introduction of varicella vaccine in the US, 1995-2000

2002 ◽  
Vol 6 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
N Noah
Keyword(s):  
Herpes Zoster ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Varicella Vaccine ◽  
Age Distribution ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Subsequent Development ◽  
Effective Vaccine ◽  
Routine Immunisation ◽  
The Us

Chickenpox is now one of the last of the infectious diseases of childhood that remain mostly uncontrolled. An effective vaccine has been available for many years but has not been used for routine immunisation in many countries. This is because the effect of giving the vaccine in early life on the subsequent development of herpes zoster is not known; high immunisation rates are important to ensure that the age distribution does not shift towards older age groups in whom the disease is more serious; and the disease is generally considered innocuous, especially in childhood when about 95% of infections occur.

scholarly journals The changing contribution of childhood social characteristics to mortality: a comparison of Finnish cohorts born in 1936–50 and 1961–75

2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 896-907 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pekka Martikainen ◽  
Irma Elo ◽  
Lasse Tarkiainen ◽  
Janne Mikkonen ◽  
Mikko Myrskylä ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Life ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Adult Mortality ◽  
Family Type ◽  
Social Characteristics ◽  
Survival Models ◽  
Birth Cohorts ◽  
Intraclass Correlations ◽  
Life Circumstances ◽  
External Causes

Abstract Background Life course epidemiology suggests that early life circumstances affect adult mortality, but most of the evidence is based on cohorts born in the beginning of the 20th century. It remains unclear whether and how the influences of early life circumstances on mortality have changed in later birth cohorts. Methods Analyses rely on 10% register-based samples of households drawn from the 1950 and the 1975 Finnish censuses, with consistent follow-up of socioeconomic and housing-related characteristics and early mid-life mortality (at ages 30–55 years). We estimate survival models for the associations between childhood circumstances and all-cause, internal and external mortality for cohorts born in 1936–50 and 1961–75 adjusting for attained social characteristics. We estimate sibling intraclass correlations as summary measures of all early life and familial influences. Results Adverse childhood social circumstances were typically associated with about 10–30% excess cause-specific mortality. These associations were almost fully attenuated by adjustment for achieved later life social characteristics. Early life influences have grown over time for mortality from external causes, particularly as related to home ownership and family type. Differentials have remained stable for internal causes. The intraclass correlations further confirmed the increasing association of early life circumstances on external-cause mortality. Conclusions Our analyses show that the associations between childhood characteristics and mid-life mortality are substantial and almost fully mediated by achieved adult social characteristics. The increase in the contribution of childhood circumstances to mid-life mortality is driven by ever stronger associations with external causes of death.

scholarly journals Early life stress induces age-dependent epigenetic changes in p11 gene expression in male mice

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mi Kyoung Seo ◽  
Jung Goo Lee ◽  
Sung Woo Park
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Histone Acetylation ◽  
Histone Methylation ◽  
Life Stress ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Early Life Stress ◽  
Epigenetic Modifications ◽  
Age Dependent

AbstractEarly life stress (ELS) causes long-lasting changes in gene expression through epigenetic mechanisms. However, little is known about the effects of ELS in adulthood, specifically across different age groups. In this study, the epigenetic modifications of p11 expression in adult mice subjected to ELS were investigated in different stages of adulthood. Pups experienced maternal separation (MS) for 3 h daily from postnatal day 1 to 21. At young and middle adulthood, behavioral test, hippocampal p11 expression levels, and levels of histone acetylation and methylation and DNA methylation at the hippocampal p11 promoter were measured. Middle-aged, but not young adult, MS mice exhibited increased immobility time in the forced swimming test. Concurrent with reduced hippocampal p11 levels, mice in both age groups showed a decrease in histone acetylation (AcH3) and permissive histone methylation (H3K4me3) at the p11 promoter, as well as an increase in repressive histone methylation (H3K27me3). Moreover, our results showed that the expression, AcH3 and H3Kme3 levels of p11 gene in response to MS were reduced with age. DNA methylation analysis of the p11 promoter revealed increased CpG methylation in middle-aged MS mice only. The results highlight the age-dependent deleterious effects of ELS on the epigenetic modifications of p11 transcription.

All-Cause Mortality for Life Insurance Applicants with a History of Prostate Cancer

2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 95-106
Author(s):  
Stephen A. Freitas ◽  
Ross MacKenzie ◽  
David N. Wylde ◽  
Bradley T. Roudebush ◽  
Richard L. Bergstrom ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prostate Cancer ◽  
Life Insurance ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Premature Mortality ◽  
Insurance Company ◽  
Mortality Trends ◽  
Relative Mortality ◽  
All Cause Mortality ◽  
Mortality Ratio ◽  
Expected Mortality

Objective. – To determine the all-cause mortality of life insurance applicants diagnosed with prostate cancer currently or at some time in the past. Background. – Prostate cancer is common and a frequent cause of cancer death. Both the frequency of prostate cancer in men and its propensity for causing premature mortality require insurance company medical directors and underwriters to have a good understanding of prostate cancer-related mortality trends, patterns, and outcomes in the insured population. Methodology. – Life insurance applicants with reported prostate cancer were extracted from data covering United States residents between November 2007 and November 2014. Information about these applicants was matched to the Social Security Death Master (SSDMF) file for deaths occurring from 2007 to 2011 and to another commercially available death source file (Other Death Source, ODS) for deaths occurring from 2007 to 2014 to determine vital status. Actual to Expected (A/E) mortality ratios were calculated using the Society of Actuaries 2015 Valuation Basic Table (2015VBT), select and ultimate table (age last birthday) and the 2013 US population as expected mortality ratios. All expected bases were not smoker distinct. Results. – The study covered applicants between the ages of 45 and 75 and had approximately 405,000 person-years of exposure. Older aged applicants had a lower mortality ratio than those who were younger. Applicants 45 to 54 had the highest mortality ratios in the first year after diagnosis which steadily decreased in years 6 to 10 with an increase in the mortality ratio for those over 10 years from diagnosis. Relative mortality rate was close to unity for those with localized cancer across all age groups. The mortality ratio was 2 to 4 times greater for those with cancer in 1 positive node, and much greater with 3 positive nodes. For each time-from-diagnosis category, the relative mortality ratios compared to age were highest in the 45–54 age group. The A/E mortality ratios based on the 2015VBT were consistently 3 to 4 times that of the mortality ratios based on the 2013 US population. Conclusion. – The mortality patterns of insurance applicants with prostate cancer were similar to that observed in individuals with prostate cancer in the general population. Applicant age, time to diagnosis and cancer severity were the most significant variables to predict mortality.

Education as a positional good: Implications for social inequalities in educational attainment in Italy

2016 ◽  
Vol 43 ◽  
pp. 39-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moris Triventi ◽  
Nazareno Panichella ◽  
Gabriele Ballarino ◽  
Carlo Barone ◽  
Fabrizio Bernardi
Keyword(s):  
Educational Attainment ◽  
Social Inequalities ◽  
Positional Good

White-Black and White-Hispanic Differences on Fluid and Crystallized Abilities by Age across the 11- to 94-Year Range

1994 ◽  
Vol 75 (3) ◽  
pp. 1279-1288 ◽  
Author(s):  
James C. Kaufman ◽  
James E. McLean ◽  
Alan S. Kaufman ◽  
Nadeen L. Kaufman
Keyword(s):  
Educational Attainment ◽  
Multivariate Analyses ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Intelligence Test ◽  
Significant Finding ◽  
Adult Intelligence ◽  
Black And White ◽  
Crystallized Abilities

Standardization data for the Kaufman Adolescent and Adult Intelligence Test (KAIT) were used to examine white-black and white-Hispanic differences on the Horn-Cattell crystallized and fluid constructs at several age groups across the broad 11- to 94-year span. Samples included 1,547 white, 241 black, and 140 Hispanic persons. Multivariate analyses with educational attainment covaried yielded only one significant finding: the white-black difference on the Crystallized Famous Faces subtest became smaller with increasing age.

scholarly journals Impacts of mild COVID-19 on elevated use of primary and specialist health care services: A nationwide register study from Norway

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (10) ◽  
pp. e0257926
Author(s):  
Katrine Damgaard Skyrud ◽  
Kjersti Helene Hernæs ◽  
Kjetil Elias Telle ◽  
Karin Magnusson
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Relative Difference ◽  
Health Care Use ◽  
Positive Test ◽  
Specialist Care ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Specialist Health Care

Aim To explore the temporal impact of mild COVID-19 on need for primary and specialist health care services. Methods In all adults (≥20 years) tested for SARS-CoV-2 in Norway March 1st 2020 to February 1st 2021 (N = 1 401 922), we contrasted the monthly all-cause health care use before and up to 6 months after the test (% relative difference), for patients with a positive test for SARS-CoV-2 (non-hospitalization, i.e. mild COVID-19) and patients with a negative test (no COVID-19). Results We found a substantial short-term elevation in primary care use in all age groups, with men generally having a higher relative increase (men 20–44 years: 522%, 95%CI = 509–535, 45–69 years: 439%, 95%CI = 426–452, ≥70 years: 199%, 95%CI = 180–218) than women (20–44 years: 342, 95%CI = 334–350, 45–69 years = 375, 95%CI = 365–385, ≥70 years: 156%, 95%CI = 141–171) at 1 month following positive test. At 2 months, this sex difference was less pronounced, with a (20–44 years: 21%, 95%CI = 13–29, 45–69 years = 38%, 95%CI = 30–46, ≥70 years: 15%, 95%CI = 3–28) increase in primary care use for men, and a (20–44 years: 30%, 95%CI = 24–36, 45–69 years = 57%, 95%CI = 50–64, ≥70 years: 14%, 95%CI = 4–24) increase for women. At 3 months after test, only women aged 45–70 years still had an increased primary care use (14%, 95%CI = 7–20). The increase was due to respiratory- and general/unspecified conditions. We observed no long-term (4–6 months) elevation in primary care use, and no elevation in specialist care use. Conclusion Mild COVID-19 gives an elevated need for primary care that vanishes 2–3 months after positive test. Middle-aged women had the most prolonged increased primary care use.

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