Parents' Occupational Class in Childhood and Adult Mortality and Cardiovascular Mortality Between 1971-98 in Finland

Veijo J. Notkola, Rehabilitation Foundation, Finland
Tuija Martelin, National Public Health Institute
Seppo Koskinen, National Public Health Institute

The purpose of the study was to analyze the relative importance of socio-economic conditions in childhood and adulthood as predictors of cardiovascular mortality in adulthood in Finland. The study is based on a 10% sample of the 1950 Finnish census, linked individually to information from the censuses 1970-95) and to deaths during 1971-98. Persons aged 0-14 years living with their parents in 1950 were included. The number of cardiovascular deaths during the 1971-98 were 1541 among men and 355 among women. Parent's occupational class in 1950 census was used as measure of socio-economic position in childhood and the own occupational class in 1970 served as indicator of socio-economic position in adulthood. The main statistical method used was Cox proportional hazards model. Both among males and females, parent's occupational class was in connection to increased mortality after the adjustment of occupational class in adulthood. The effect of parents' occupational class on mortality was systematic and graded.