Social inequalities in ischemic heart disease and cerebrovascular disease mortality in men in Spain and France, 1988-1990

BACKGROUND: To compare socio-economic differences in mortality from ischemic heart disease and cerebrovascular disease in men in Spain and France during the 1988-90 period. METHODS: In Spain, the data were taken from the Eight Provinces Study, and in France the number of deaths was provided by the French National Health Institute(INSERM). The socio-economic differences in mortality have been estimated through the rate ratio. RESULTS: Farmers and manual workers presented higher mortality from ischemic heart disease and cerebrovascular disease than the professional and managerial group, while mortality in service workers showed a different pattern in both countries. CONCLUSIONS: The use of two occupational classes (manual/non manual) in international comparisons limits the interpretation of the results in this kind of studies.