Weiju Zhou
University of Wolverhampton, UK
Biography
BACKGROUND: Over the past 30 years, China has had an increasing number of people with angina alongside a rapid economic development and population aging. China has also seen an increase in the income gap between rich and poor. The association between socioeconomic deprivation (SED) and survival of older adults with angina is unclear.
METHODS: In 2001-2003, we interviewed 1457 people aged ≥ 60 years who had minimal educational levels in Anhui province, China, having characterised socio-demographics and risk factors for cardiovascular disease and documented doctor-diagnosed angina at baseline. One year after baseline, survivors were re-interviewed to document incident angina. The vital status of all cohort members was followed up over five years. A Cox regression model was used to calculate hazards ratio (HR) of mortality in relation to SED.
RESULTS: 131 participants with angina at baseline or at one-year follow up had an increased mortality (23.7%) compared to those without angina (mortality 14.2%). The multivariate adjusted HR in angina patients living in rural areas versus non-angina participants living in urban areas was 8.45 (95%CI 1.93-37.0). Multivariate adjusted HR among angina patients having a low level of education, occupational class or income versus non-angina participants having high levels was 2.41 (1.38-4.22), 2.15 (1.11-4.17) and 2.88 (1.40-5.92) respectively. Within angina patients, an increased HR was significantly observed for patients living in rural versus urban (4.99, 1.09-22.9), but not in those with other indicators of SED.
CONCLUSIONS: In China, reducing surviving inequality in older adults with angina should be addressed in rural areas.