The first longitudinal study linking smoking status, social class and
survival has been published online in the BMJ. The data have, in my
view, profound implications for policy makers who claim that long term
health inequalities can be reduced by addressing 'downstream' / proximal
health determinants and/or disease outcomes. I am circulating details of
the
article and my BMJ rapid response in the hope of generating debate on
this important issue.
Gruer L, Hart CL, Gordon DS, Watt GCM. Effect of tobacco smoking on
survival of men and women by social position: a 28 year cohort study.
BMJ 2009;338:b480
doi:10.1136/bmj.b480
Available online at: http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/338/feb17_2/b480
Scott-Samuel A. What the Renfrew / Paisley data really tell us about
tackling health inequalities: the need to refocus upstream.
Available online at: http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/338/feb17_2/b480
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Dr Alex Scott-Samuel
EQUAL (Equity in Health Research and Development Unit)
Division of Public Health
University of Liverpool
Whelan Building
Quadrangle
Liverpool
L69 3GB
UK
Tel (+44)151-794-5569
Fax (+44)151-794-5588
http://pcwww.liv.ac.uk/~alexss
e-mail [log in to unmask]
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