Socioeconomic gradients in cardiorespiratory disease and diabetes in the 1960s: baseline findings from the GPO study.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the socioeconomic distribution of risk factors for cardiorespiratory disease and diabetes in employed women and men in the late 1960s.


METHODS
Cross-sectional data were collected from 3345 General Post Office (GPO) employees in London, via a questionnaire and clinical examination, between October 1966 and April 1967.


RESULTS
Our occupational grade classification conformed to expected patterns of greater car ownership and gardening among higher-grade women and men, and greater height in higher-grade men (highest-lowest grade 175.0-170.7 cm, P<0.001). A strong inverse grade gradient in bronchitis (2.1-9.4%, P<0.001) and a strong positive gradient in FEV1 (3.10-2.58l, P<0.001) were observed in men, although smoking was less consistently associated with grade. There was no consistent inverse association between grade and any cardiovascular risk factor in either sex, but strong inverse gradients in prevalence of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) (5.1-18.2%, P<0.001) and 2-h glucose (4.14-4.25 mmol/l, P<0.001) in non-diabetic men. Using car ownership as an alternative measure of socioeconomic position, findings in men were replicated for respiratory measures, IGT and 2-h glucose prevalence. Inverse gradients were additionally observed for blood pressure, cholesterol and electrocardiogram abnormalities.


CONCLUSIONS
The GPO study confirms existing evidence of socioeconomic gradients in respiratory risk factors and provides new evidence of gradients in risk factors for diabetes in men. Although there was no conclusive evidence of an occupational gradient in any cardiovascular risk factor, car ownership was a good indicator of lower risk in men. No socioeconomic gradients in cardiorespiratory or diabetic risk factors were observed in women.
Ferrie
J E
JE
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 6BT, UK. j.ferrie@public-health.ucl.ac.uk
Shipley
M J
MJ
Breeze
E
E
Davey Smith
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000191:economics / Q000266:history*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000191:economics / Q000266:history*; D005260:Female; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D008131:London / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000191:economics / Q000266:history*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors