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Childhood social class and cancer incidence: Results of the globe study

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  • de Kok, Inge M.C.M.
  • van Lenthe, Frank J.
  • Avendano, Mauricio
  • Louwman, Marieke
  • Coebergh, Jan-Willem W.
  • Mackenbach, Johan P.

Abstract

Despite increased recognition of the importance of investigating socio-economic inequalities in health from a life course perspective, little is known about the influence of childhood socio-economic position (SEP) on cancer incidence. The authors studied the association between father's occupation and adult cancer incidence by linking information from the longitudinal GLOBE study with the regional population-based Eindhoven Cancer Registry (the Netherlands) over a period of 14 years. In 1991, 18,973 participants (response rate 70.1%) of this study responded to a postal questionnaire, including questions on SEP in youth and adulthood. Respondents above the age of 24 were included (NÂ =Â 12,978). Cox regression was used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) for all cancers as well as for the five most frequently occurring cancers by respondent's educational level or occupational class, and by father's occupational class (adjusted for respondent's education and occupation). Respondents with a low educational level showed an increased risk of all cancers, lung and breast cancer (in women). Respondents with a low adult occupational level showed an increased risk of lung cancer and a reduced risk of basal cell carcinoma. After adjustment for adult education and occupation, respondents whose father was in a lower occupational class showed an increased risk of colorectal cancer as compared to those with a father in the highest social class. In contrast, respondents whose father was in a lower occupational class, showed a decreased risk of basal cell carcinoma as compared to those with a father in the highest occupational class. The association between childhood SEP and cancer incidence is less consistent than the association between adult SEP and cancer incidence, but may exist for colorectal cancer and basal cell carcinoma.

Suggested Citation

  • de Kok, Inge M.C.M. & van Lenthe, Frank J. & Avendano, Mauricio & Louwman, Marieke & Coebergh, Jan-Willem W. & Mackenbach, Johan P., 2008. "Childhood social class and cancer incidence: Results of the globe study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 66(5), pages 1131-1139, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:66:y:2008:i:5:p:1131-1139
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lynch, J. W. & Kaplan, G. A. & Salonen, J. T., 1997. "Why do poor people behave poorly? Variation in adult health behaviours and psychosocial characteristics by stages of the socioeconomic lifecourse," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 44(6), pages 809-819, March.
    2. Mackenbach, J.P. & van de Mheen, H. & Stronks, K., 1994. "A prospective cohort study investigating the explanation of socio-economic inequalities in health in the Netherlands," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 38(2), pages 299-308, January.
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    1. Probst, Helene Bilsted & Hussain, Zubair Butt & Andersen, Ole, 2012. "Cancer patient pathways in Denmark as a joint effort between bureaucrats, health professionals and politicians—A national Danish project," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 105(1), pages 65-70.
    2. Ajay Mahal & Lainie Sutton, 2014. "Economic prosperity and non-communicable disease: understanding the linkages," Chapters, in: Raghbendra Jha & Raghav Gaiha & Anil B. Deolalikar (ed.), Handbook on Food, chapter 12, pages 278-324, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    3. Tomi F. Akinyemiju & Joshua Demb & Monika A. Izano & David H. Rehkopf & Min-Lin Fang & Robert A. Hiatt & Dejana Braithwaite, 2018. "The association of early life socioeconomic position on breast cancer incidence and mortality: a systematic review," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 63(7), pages 787-797, September.
    4. Frida Jonsson & Miguel San Sebastian & Lotta M J Strömsten & Anne Hammarström & Per E Gustafsson, 2016. "Life Course Pathways of Adversities Linking Adolescent Socioeconomic Circumstances and Functional Somatic Symptoms in Mid-Adulthood: A Path Analysis Study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(5), pages 1-16, May.
    5. Bernadette W. A. van der Linden & Delphine S. Courvoisier & Boris Cheval & Stefan Sieber & Piet Bracke & Idris Guessous & Claudine Burton-Jeangros & Matthias Kliegel & Stéphane Cullati, 2018. "Effect of childhood socioeconomic conditions on cancer onset in later life: an ambidirectional cohort study," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 63(7), pages 799-810, September.
    6. Katarzyna Orlewska & Andrzej Sliwczynski & Ewa Orlewska, 2018. "An ecological study of the link between the risk of most frequent types of cancer in Poland and socioeconomic variables," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 63(7), pages 777-786, September.

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