Social class and premature mortality among men: a method for state-based surveillance.

OBJECTIVES This study examined trends in mortality by social class for Black and White men aged 35 through 54 years in North Carolina, for 1984 through 1993, using an inexpensive, newly developed state-based surveillance method. METHODS Data from death certificates and census files permitted examination of four social classes, defined on the basis of occupation. RESULTS Premature mortality was inversely associated with social class for both Blacks and Whites. Blacks were at least twice as likely to die as Whites within each social class. CONCLUSIONS Adoption of state-specific surveillance of social class and premature mortality would provide data crucial for developing and evaluating public health programs to reduce social inequalities in health.

[1]  S. Wing,et al.  Urbanisation and coronary heart disease mortality among African Americans in the US South. , 1996, Journal of epidemiology and community health.

[2]  Philip M. Hauser,et al.  Differential Mortality in the United States: A Study in Socioeconomic Epidemiology. , 1974 .

[3]  E. M. Beck,et al.  The Structure of Economic Segmentation: A Dual Economy Approach , 1980, American Journal of Sociology.

[4]  M. Casper,et al.  Social class and race disparities in premature stroke mortality among men in North Carolina. , 1997, Annals of epidemiology.

[5]  A. Adelstein,et al.  Occupational mortality: work or way of life? , 1978, Journal of epidemiology and community health.

[6]  W. Watson,et al.  SOCIOLOGY IN MEDICINE , 1963, The Ulster Medical Journal.

[7]  J L Kelsey,et al.  The measurement of social class in epidemiology. , 1988, Epidemiologic reviews.

[8]  N. Anderson,et al.  Hostility patterns and health implications: correlates of Cook-Medley Hostility Scale scores in a national survey. , 1991, Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association.

[9]  N. Krieger,et al.  Social Class: The Missing Link in U.S. Health Data , 1994, International journal of health services : planning, administration, evaluation.

[10]  S M Teutsch,et al.  The effect of known risk factors on the excess mortality of black adults in the United States. , 1990, JAMA.

[11]  A K Highsmith,et al.  Surveillance for waterborne disease outbreaks--United States, 1991-1992. , 1993, MMWR. CDC surveillance summaries : Morbidity and mortality weekly report. CDC surveillance summaries.

[12]  K. Fox.  Uneven Regional Development in the United States , 1978 .

[13]  N. Krieger,et al.  Racism, sexism, and social class: implications for studies of health, disease, and well-being. , 1993, American journal of preventive medicine.

[14]  Farley,et al.  psc reprint series Changes in the Segregation of Whites from Blacks during the 1980 s : Small Steps Toward a More Integrated Society by Reynolds , 1992 .

[15]  L. Berkman,et al.  Social networks, host resistance, and mortality: a nine-year follow-up study of Alameda County residents. , 1979, American journal of epidemiology.

[16]  L. Breslow,et al.  Health and Ways of Living: The Alameda County Study , 1983 .

[17]  G. Swanson,et al.  Summary measures of occupational history: a comparison of latest occupation and industry with usual occupation and industry. , 1987, American journal of public health.

[18]  M G Marmot,et al.  Social/economic status and disease. , 1987, Annual review of public health.

[19]  V. Navarro,et al.  Race or class versus race and class: mortality differentials in the United States , 1990, The Lancet.

[20]  J. Robinson.  Trends in Racial Inequality and Exposure to Work-Related Hazards, 1968–1986 , 1989, AAOHN journal : official journal of the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses.

[21]  J. House,et al.  Social relationships and health. , 1988, Science.

[22]  Judicial Affairs.  Black-white disparities in health care. , 1990, JAMA.

[23]  P. Goldblatt,et al.  Inequalities in women's health: looking at mortality differentials using an alternative approach , 1988, British medical journal.

[24]  P. Essed.  Understanding everyday racism : an interdisciplinary theory , 1991 .

[25]  TESTING A DUAL LABOR MARKET CLASSIFICATION OF JOBS , 1978 .

[26]  B. Dohrenwend,et al.  Social status and stressful life events. , 1973, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[27]  W. Roper,et al.  Use of Race and Ethnicity in Public Health Surveillance. Summary of the DC/ATSDR workshop. Atlanta, Georgia, March 1-2, 1993. , 1993, MMWR. Recommendations and reports : Morbidity and mortality weekly report. Recommendations and reports.

[28]  J. Coyne,et al.  Psychosocial predictors of depression. Prospective evidence from the human population laboratory studies. , 1987, American journal of epidemiology.