Educational patterning in biological health seven years apart: Findings from the Tromsø Study

• Published in: Psychoneuroendocrinology
• Main Authors: Neufcourt, Lola, Castagné, Raphaële, Wilsgaard, Tom, Grimsgaard, Sameline, Chadeau-Hyam, Marc, Vuckovic, Dragana, Ugarteche-Perez, Ainhoa, Farbu, Erlend Hoftun, Sandanger, Torkjel, Delpierre, Cyrille, Kelly-Irving, Michelle
• Other Authors: Université de Rennes (UR), École des Hautes Études en Santé Publique EHESP (EHESP), The Arctic University of Norway Tromsø, Norway (UiT), University Hospital of North Norway Tromsø (UNN), French National Institute of Health and Medical Research, Collaboration internationale
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2024
• Subjects: Allostatic load; Tromsø Study; Health inequalities; Biomarkers; Social embedding; [SDV.SPEE]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Santé publique et épidémiologie; Tromsø
• Online Access: https://hal.ehesp.fr/hal-04341625; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106670

International audience BackgroundSocial-to-biological processes is one set of mechanisms underlying the relationship between social position and health. However, very few studies have focused on the relationship between social factors and biology at multiple time points. This work investigates the relationship between education and the dynamic changes in a composite Biological Health Score (BHS) using two time points seven years apart in a Norwegian adult population.MethodsWe used data from individuals aged 30 years and above who participated in Tromsø6 (2007–2008) and Tromsø7 (2015–2016) (n = 8117). BHS was defined using ten biomarkers measured from blood samples and representing three physiological systems (cardiovascular, metabolic, inflammatory). The higher the BHS, the poorer the health status.FindingsLinear regression models carried out on BHS revealed a strong educational gradient at two distinct time points but also over time. People with lower educational attainment were at higher risk of poor biological health at a given time point (βlow education Tromsø6=0.30 [95 %-CI=0.18–0.43] and βlow education Tromsø7=0.30 [95 %-CI=0.17–0.42]). They also presented higher longitudinal BHS compared to people with higher education (βlow education = 0.89 [95 %-CI=0.56–1.23]). Certain biomarkers related to the cardiovascular system and the metabolic system were strongly socially distributed, even after adjustment for sex, age, health behaviours and body mass index.ConclusionThis longitudinal analysis highlights that participants with lower education had their biological health deteriorated to a greater extent over time compared to people with higher education. Our findings provide added evidence of the biological embodiment of social position, particularly with respect to dynamic aspects for which little evidence exists.