title: Socioeconomic Status and the Quality of Acute Stroke Care: The China National Stroke Registry.
abstract: The association of socioeconomic status (SES) with quality of stroke care is not well understood, and few studies have examined the association with different indicators of SES simultaneously. We assessed the impacts of low levels of education, occupation, and income on the quality of stroke care.
  
  
  
  We examined data from the China National Stroke Registry recording consecutive stroke patients between September 2007 and August 2008. Baseline low SES was measured using educational level <6 years, occupation as manual workers or no job, and average family income per capita at ≤¥1000 per month. Compliance with 11 performances was summarized in a composite score defined as the proportion of all needed care given. Poor quality of care was defined as having a composite score of 0.71 or less.
  
  
  
  Among 12 270 patients with ischemic stroke, 38.6% had <6 educational years, 37.6% had manual workers/no job, and 34.7% had income ≤¥1000 per month. There was an increased chance of receiving poor quality of care in patients with low education (adjusted odds ratio 1.15, 95% confidence interval 1.03-1.28), low occupation (adjusted odds ratio 1.16, 95% confidence interval 1.01-1.32), and low income (adjusted odds ratio 1.18, 95% confidence interval 1.06-1.30), respectively. People with low SES had poor performances on some aspects of care quality. Combined effects existed among these SES indicators; those with low SES from all 3 indicators had the poorest quality of care.
  
  
  
  There was a social gradient in the quality of stroke care. Continuous efforts of socioeconomic improvement will increase the quality of acute stroke care.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); Center of Stroke, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine for Cerebrovascular Disease, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China (Y.P.); and Centre for Health and Social Care Improvement, Faculty of Education Health and Wellbeing, University of Wolverhampton, United Kingdom (R.C.).
authors.forename: Yuesong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); Center of Stroke, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine for Cerebrovascular Disease, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China (Y.P.); and Centre for Health and Social Care Improvement, Faculty of Education Health and Wellbeing, University of Wolverhampton, United Kingdom (R.C.). yongjunwang1962@gmail.com yilong528@gmail.com R.Chen@wlv.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Ruoling
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); Center of Stroke, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine for Cerebrovascular Disease, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China (Y.P.); and Centre for Health and Social Care Improvement, Faculty of Education Health and Wellbeing, University of Wolverhampton, United Kingdom (R.C.).
authors.forename: Zixiao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); Center of Stroke, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine for Cerebrovascular Disease, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China (Y.P.); and Centre for Health and Social Care Improvement, Faculty of Education Health and Wellbeing, University of Wolverhampton, United Kingdom (R.C.).
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); Center of Stroke, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine for Cerebrovascular Disease, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China (Y.P.); and Centre for Health and Social Care Improvement, Faculty of Education Health and Wellbeing, University of Wolverhampton, United Kingdom (R.C.).
authors.forename: Xingquan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); Center of Stroke, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine for Cerebrovascular Disease, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China (Y.P.); and Centre for Health and Social Care Improvement, Faculty of Education Health and Wellbeing, University of Wolverhampton, United Kingdom (R.C.).
authors.forename: Liping
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); Center of Stroke, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine for Cerebrovascular Disease, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China (Y.P.); and Centre for Health and Social Care Improvement, Faculty of Education Health and Wellbeing, University of Wolverhampton, United Kingdom (R.C.).
authors.forename: Chunxue
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); Center of Stroke, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine for Cerebrovascular Disease, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China (Y.P.); and Centre for Health and Social Care Improvement, Faculty of Education Health and Wellbeing, University of Wolverhampton, United Kingdom (R.C.). yongjunwang1962@gmail.com yilong528@gmail.com R.Chen@wlv.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Yilong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); Center of Stroke, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine for Cerebrovascular Disease, China (Y.P., Z.L., H.L., X.Z., L.L., C.W., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang); Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China (Y.P.); and Centre for Health and Social Care Improvement, Faculty of Education Health and Wellbeing, University of Wolverhampton, United Kingdom (R.C.). yongjunwang1962@gmail.com yilong528@gmail.com R.Chen@wlv.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Yongjun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012042:Registries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012923:Social Class; D020521:Stroke / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: income; occupation; quality of care; socioeconomic position; stroke