Socioeconomic status, whether measured by
education, income, or other indices of social
class, has long been known to be associated
with mortality from different diseases. This
knowledge for the major part stems from studies
conducted in the UK where there is a tradition
of interest in socioeconomic differences. A
milestone within recent years was the “Black
Report” prepared by a committee appointed by
the UK Minister of Health in 1980.7 This
report showed that there were still large socioeconomic
differences in morbidity and mortality
in men and women of all ages in England.
Since then a number of epidemiological studies
have been published, both in England and
other European and North American countries,
which confirm this relationship.