Life course socio-economic position, area deprivation and coronary heart disease: findings from the British Womens Heart and Health Study

Objectives. We sought to determine whether residential area deprivation, over and above the effect of life-course socioeconomic status or position (SEP), is associated with coronary heart disease. Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 4286 women aged 60 to 79 years from 457 British electoral wards. Results. After adjustment for age and 10 indicators of individual life-course SEP, the odds of coronary heart disease was 27% greater among those living in wards with a deprivation score above the median compared with those living in a ward with a deprivation score equal to or below the median (odds ratio=1.27; 95% confidence interval=1.02, 1.57). Conclusions. Adverse area-level socioeconomic characteristics, over and above individual life-course SEP, are associated with increased coronary heart disease.