The association between socio-economic status and chest pain, focusing on self-rated health in a primary health care area of Sweden.
OBJECTIVE
The study objective was to determine, first, the association between men's and women's chest pain and their socio-economic status (occupation, smoking) and, secondly, the association between their socio-economic status and self-rated health, in a primary health care area.


METHODS
A population-based cross-sectional survey was made in a primary health care area of Sweden. Primarily based on occupation according to Swedish standards, 4,238 men and women were divided into two socio-economic groups; blue-collar and white-collar workers.


METHODS
Odds ratios with 95% CI were calculated by multivariate logistic regression, controlling for the variable age as confounding factor. Student's t-test was used to compare self-rated health, and the chi 2-test to determine any difference in smoking habits between the two groups.


RESULTS
Both male and female blue-collar workers showed significantly more chest pain when excited than white-collar workers. In six of eight health indices, they also reported significantly worse self-rated health than the white-collar workers.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings show that there are socio-economic inequalities in self-reported chest pain. Furthermore, socio-economic status has a major influence on self-rated health, acting across the working life of both sexes.
Baigi
A
A
Primary Health Care Research & Development Unit, Halland County Council, PO Box 113, 311 22 Falkenberg, Sweden. amir.baigi@lthalland.se
Marklund
B
B
Fridlund
B
B
D000328:Adult; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009790:Occupations / Q000145:classification; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012923:Social Class; D013222:State Medicine; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology