Health inequalities in childhood diseases: temporal trends in the inter-crisis period

Background Since 2008, children in Catalonia (Spain) have suffered a period of great economic deprivation. This situation has generated broad-ranging health inequalities in a variety of diseases. It is not known how these inequalities have changed over time. The aim of the present study is to determ...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Carrilero, N, García-Altés, A
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2024
País:España
Institución:Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau)
Repositorio:r-IIB SANT PAU. Repositorio Institucional de Producción Científica del Instituto de Investigación Biomédica Sant Pau
OAI Identifier:oai:iibsantpau.fundanetsuite.com:p17646
Acceso en línea:https://iibsantpau.fundanetsuite.com/Publicaciones/ProdCientif/PublicacionFrw.aspx?id=17646
http://ddd.uab.cat/record/306346
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Health inequalities
Trends
Child
Socioeconomic factors
Epidemiology
Health status
Descripción
Sumario:Background Since 2008, children in Catalonia (Spain) have suffered a period of great economic deprivation. This situation has generated broad-ranging health inequalities in a variety of diseases. It is not known how these inequalities have changed over time. The aim of the present study is to determine trends in inequalities over this period in ten relevant diseases in children according to sex and age. Methods A retrospective cross-sectional population-based study of all children under 15 years old resident in Catalonia during the 2014-2021 period (over 1.2 million children/year) and of their diagnoses registered by the Catalan Health System. Health inequalities were estimated by calculating the relative index of inequality and time trends using logistic regression models. Interaction terms were added to test for the effects of sex on time trends. Results Increasing significant temporal trends in inequalities were shown for both sexes in almost all the diseases or adverse events studied (asthma, injuries, poisoning, congenital anomalies, overweight and obesity), in mood disorders in boys, and in adverse birth outcomes in girls. Adjustment and anxiety and mood disorders in girls showed a decreasing temporal trend in inequalities. More than half of the diseases and adverse events studied experienced significant annual increases in inequality. Poisoning stood out with an average annual increase of 8.65% [4.30, 13.00], p <= 0.001 in boys and 8.64% [5.76, 11.52], p <= 0.001) in girls, followed by obesity with increases of 5.52% [4.15, 6.90], p = < 0.001 in boys and 4.89% [4.26, 5.51], p <= 0.001) in girls. Conclusions Our results suggest that inequalities persist and have increased since 2014. Policy makers should turn their attention to how interventions to reduce Health inequalities are designed, and who benefits from them.