Socioeconomic aspects of fractures within universal public healthcare: A nationwide case-control study from Denmark

Abstract

Aims: To investigate the effects of income and other socioeconomic variables on fracture risk adjusted for disease-related confounders as fractures are a major public health problem. Methods: Case-control study where all subjects in Denmark with a fracture during the year 2000 (n=124,655) served as cases. From the general population three age- and gender-matched subjects were selected as controls (n=373,962). Adjustment were made for income, living with someone vs. living alone, having a job vs. being out of work, education, comorbidity (Charlson index), number of bed days in hospital, number of contacts with general practitioner, use of corticosteroids, prior fracture, and alcoholism. Results: Income was not associated with fracture risk on adjustment for the other covariates. Living with someone was associated with a decreased risk of any fracture in all ages. A higher level of education was associated with a decreased fracture risk in the age groups