Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Airborne infectious diseases during infancy and mortality in later life in southern Sweden, 1766-1894.

Bengtsson, Tommy LU and Lindström, Martin LU (2003) In International Journal of Epidemiology 32(2). p.286-294
Abstract
Background: The importance of early life conditions and current conditions for mortality in later life was assessed using historical data from four rural parishes in southern Sweden. Both demographic and economic data are valid.

Methods: Longitudinal demographic and socioeconomic data for individuals and household socioeconomic data from parish registers were combined with local area data on food costs and disease load using a Cox regression framework to analyse the 55–80 year age group mortality (number of deaths = 1398).

Results: In a previous paper, the disease load experienced during the birth year, measured as the infant mortality rate, was strongly associated with old-age mortality, particularly the outcome of... (More)
Background: The importance of early life conditions and current conditions for mortality in later life was assessed using historical data from four rural parishes in southern Sweden. Both demographic and economic data are valid.

Methods: Longitudinal demographic and socioeconomic data for individuals and household socioeconomic data from parish registers were combined with local area data on food costs and disease load using a Cox regression framework to analyse the 55–80 year age group mortality (number of deaths = 1398).

Results: In a previous paper, the disease load experienced during the birth year, measured as the infant mortality rate, was strongly associated with old-age mortality, particularly the outcome of airborne infectious diseases. In the present paper, this impact persisted after controlling for variations in food prices during pregnancy and the birth year, and the disease load on mothers during pregnancy. The impact on mortality in later life stems from both the short-term cycles and the long-term decline in infant mortality. An asymmetrical effect and strong threshold effects were found for the cycles. Years with very high infant mortality, dominated by smallpox and whooping cough, had a strong impact, while modest changes had almost no impact at all. The effects of the disease load during the year of birth were particularly strong for children born during the winter and summer. Children severely exposed to airborne infectious diseases during their birth year had a much higher risk of dying of airborne infectious diseases in their old age.

Conclusions: This study suggests that exposure to airborne infectious diseases during the first year of life increases mortality at ages 55–80. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
airborne infectious disease, old-age mortality, infant mortality, Early life, life course perspective
in
International Journal of Epidemiology
volume
32
issue
2
pages
286 - 294
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • wos:000182629600023
  • pmid:12714551
  • scopus:0038187645
ISSN
1464-3685
DOI
10.1093/ije/dyg061
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
96e535fa-853c-478f-bcc4-76fc3bc9c32b (old id 113124)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:09:13
date last changed
2022-02-26 02:35:32
@article{96e535fa-853c-478f-bcc4-76fc3bc9c32b,
  abstract     = {{Background: The importance of early life conditions and current conditions for mortality in later life was assessed using historical data from four rural parishes in southern Sweden. Both demographic and economic data are valid. <br/><br>
Methods: Longitudinal demographic and socioeconomic data for individuals and household socioeconomic data from parish registers were combined with local area data on food costs and disease load using a Cox regression framework to analyse the 55–80 year age group mortality (number of deaths = 1398). <br/><br>
Results: In a previous paper, the disease load experienced during the birth year, measured as the infant mortality rate, was strongly associated with old-age mortality, particularly the outcome of airborne infectious diseases. In the present paper, this impact persisted after controlling for variations in food prices during pregnancy and the birth year, and the disease load on mothers during pregnancy. The impact on mortality in later life stems from both the short-term cycles and the long-term decline in infant mortality. An asymmetrical effect and strong threshold effects were found for the cycles. Years with very high infant mortality, dominated by smallpox and whooping cough, had a strong impact, while modest changes had almost no impact at all. The effects of the disease load during the year of birth were particularly strong for children born during the winter and summer. Children severely exposed to airborne infectious diseases during their birth year had a much higher risk of dying of airborne infectious diseases in their old age. <br/><br>
Conclusions: This study suggests that exposure to airborne infectious diseases during the first year of life increases mortality at ages 55–80.}},
  author       = {{Bengtsson, Tommy and Lindström, Martin}},
  issn         = {{1464-3685}},
  keywords     = {{airborne infectious disease; old-age mortality; infant mortality; Early life; life course perspective}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{286--294}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Epidemiology}},
  title        = {{Airborne infectious diseases during infancy and mortality in later life in southern Sweden, 1766-1894.}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/2803561/1527442.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/ije/dyg061}},
  volume       = {{32}},
  year         = {{2003}},
}