Socio-economic position and the use of preventive health care in older British women: a cross-sectional study using data from the British Women's Heart and Health Study cohort.
BACKGROUND
Socio-economic inequalities in health may be due to differential uptake of preventive and therapeutic medical services.


OBJECTIVE
To examine socio-economic position and self-reported use of six preventive services in a cohort of older British women.


METHODS
Women randomly selected from general practice age/sex registers in 23 towns were examined from 1998 to 2001. Of all, 3652 women aged 62-83 years completed a questionnaire in 2003 assessing preventive service use.


RESULTS
Women from manual social classes were less likely to have recent flu vaccinations [odds ratio (OR) 0.85, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.74, 0.98] and dental (OR 0.42, 95% CI 0.36, 0.49), eye (OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.67, 0.88) or chiropody examinations (OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.77, 1.01). Manual social class was not related to having recent blood pressure or cholesterol checks.


CONCLUSIONS
Among older British women, preventive services for cardiovascular disease are not socially patterned. However, those from lower socio-economic groups are less likely to have recent flu vaccinations and dental, eye and chiropody examinations.
Patel
Rita
R
Department of Social Medicine, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, Whiteladies Road, Bristol BS8 2PR, UK. Rita.Patel@bristol.ac.uk
Lawlor
Debbie A
DA
Ebrahim
Shah
S
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016321:Dental Care for Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000145:classification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005194:Family Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005534:Foot Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000600:supply & distribution; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D011314:Preventive Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000600:supply & distribution; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom; D014787:Vision Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016387:Women's Health
D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D002784:Cholesterol