Economic insecurity during the Great Recession and metabolic, inflammatory and liver function biomarkers: analysis of the UK Household Longitudinal Study.

Item request has been placed! ×
Item request cannot be made. ×
loading   Processing Request
Read More Add to Saved list
  • Additional Information
    • Source:
      Publisher: British Medical Assn Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 7909766 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1470-2738 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 0143005X NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Epidemiol Community Health Subsets: MEDLINE
    • Publication Information:
      Original Publication: London, British Medical Assn.
    • Subject Terms:
      Economic Recession* ; Family Characteristics*; Biomarkers/*analysis ; C-Reactive Protein/*metabolism ; Fibrinogen/*analysis ; Food Supply/*economics ; Triglycerides/*analysis; Adult ; Aged ; Biomarkers/blood ; C-Reactive Protein/analysis ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Female ; Food Supply/statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Kidney Function Tests ; Lipoproteins, HDL/analysis ; Liver Function Tests ; Longitudinal Studies ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors
    • Abstract:
      Background: Economic insecurity correlates with adverse health outcomes, but the biological pathways involved are not well understood. We examine how changes in economic insecurity relate to metabolic, inflammatory and liver function biomarkers.
      Methods: Blood analyte data were taken from 6520 individuals (aged 25-59 years) participating in Understanding Society. Economic insecurity was measured using an indicator of subjective financial strain and by asking participants whether they had missed any bill, council tax, rent or mortgage payments in the past year. We investigated longitudinal changes in economic insecurity (remained secure, increase in economic insecurity, decrease in economic insecurity, remained insecure) and the accumulation of economic insecurity. Linear regression models were calculated for nine (logged) biomarker outcomes related to metabolic, inflammatory, liver and kidney function (as falsification tests), adjusting for potential confounders.
      Results: Compared with those who remained economically stable, people who experienced consistent economic insecurity (using both measures) had worsened levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, triglycerides, C reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen and glycated haemoglobin. Increased economic insecurity was associated with adverse levels of HDL-cholesterol (0.955, 95% CI 0.929 to 0.982), triglycerides (1.077, 95% CI 1.018 to 1.139) and CRP (1.114, 95% CI 1.012 to 1.227), using the measure of financial strain. Results for the other measure were generally consistent, apart from the higher levels of gamma-glutamyl transferase observed among those experiencing persistent insecurity (1.200, 95% CI 1.110 to 1.297).
      Conclusion: Economic insecurity is associated with adverse metabolic and inflammatory biomarkers (particularly HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides and CRP), heightening risk for a range of health conditions.
      Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared.
      (© Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.)
    • References:
      Eur J Public Health. 2014 Jun;24(3):410-5. (PMID: 24058184)
      JAMA Intern Med. 2015 Feb;175(2):257-65. (PMID: 25545780)
      Soc Sci Med. 2009 Sep;69(5):777-85. (PMID: 19596166)
      J Epidemiol Community Health. 2015 Jul;69(7):660-5. (PMID: 25636322)
      Int J Cardiol. 2009 Jun 26;135(2):175-83. (PMID: 18619689)
      Eur J Public Health. 2015 Oct;25(5):801-6. (PMID: 26045524)
      J Epidemiol Community Health. 2015 Jul;69(7):673-9. (PMID: 25700535)
      Circulation. 2005 Oct 4;112(14):2130-7. (PMID: 16186419)
      JAMA. 2007 Oct 10;298(14):1685-7. (PMID: 17925521)
      Psychophysiology. 2002 Jan;39(1):80-5. (PMID: 12206298)
      Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol. 2009 Aug;105(2):73-83. (PMID: 19563453)
      PLoS One. 2014 Oct 14;9(10):e110362. (PMID: 25313462)
      Soc Sci Med. 2016 Dec;170:1-8. (PMID: 27728857)
      JAMA Psychiatry. 2013 Feb;70(2):176-84. (PMID: 23266538)
      Brain Behav Immun. 2010 Jan;24(1):96-101. (PMID: 19683568)
      Annu Rev Public Health. 2017 Mar 20;38:39-56. (PMID: 28125392)
      J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2012 Sep;67(5):585-94. (PMID: 22929397)
      BMJ. 1990 Sep 8;301(6750):461-6. (PMID: 2207398)
      Integr Physiol Behav Sci. 2001 Jul-Sep;36(3):205-19. (PMID: 11777016)
      Arch Intern Med. 1995 Mar 27;155(6):615-20. (PMID: 7887757)
      Br J Health Psychol. 2015 Sep;20(3):662-79. (PMID: 25327694)
      BMC Public Health. 2015 Sep 29;15:985. (PMID: 26419739)
      JAMA. 2009 Nov 11;302(18):1993-2000. (PMID: 19903920)
      Geriatr Nurs. 2015 Mar-Apr;36(2 Suppl):S33-7. (PMID: 25784083)
      Ann Epidemiol. 2014 Nov;24(11):809-16. (PMID: 25263236)
      Soc Sci Med. 2017 Apr;178:127-135. (PMID: 28214723)
      Prev Med. 2016 Dec;93:46-52. (PMID: 27663429)
      Alcohol Alcohol. 2013 May-Jun;48(3):343-8. (PMID: 23360873)
      JAMA. 2005 Oct 12;294(14):1799-809. (PMID: 16219884)
      Ethn Dis. 2016 Jan 21;26(1):37-44. (PMID: 26843794)
      Psychosom Med. 2005 Mar-Apr;67(2):281-7. (PMID: 15784795)
      J Behav Med. 2012 Feb;35(1):74-85. (PMID: 21503709)
      Am J Public Health. 2015 Oct;105(10):2090-8. (PMID: 26270289)
      Psychother Psychosom. 1991;55(2-4):76-80. (PMID: 1891571)
    • Grant Information:
      SPHSU15 United Kingdom CSO_ Chief Scientist Office; 100709/Z/12/Z United Kingdom Wellcome Trust; SPHSU13 United Kingdom CSO_ Chief Scientist Office; United Kingdom Wellcome Trust; MC_UU_12017/15 United Kingdom MRC_ Medical Research Council; SCAF/15/02 United Kingdom CSO_ Chief Scientist Office; MC_UU_12017/13 United Kingdom MRC_ Medical Research Council
    • Contributed Indexing:
      Keywords: Social Epidemiology; Social Inequalities; Socio-Economic
    • Accession Number:
      0 (Biomarkers)
      0 (Cholesterol, HDL)
      0 (Lipoproteins, HDL)
      0 (Triglycerides)
      9001-32-5 (Fibrinogen)
      9007-41-4 (C-Reactive Protein)
    • Publication Date:
      Date Created: 20170901 Date Completed: 20180402 Latest Revision: 20220409
    • Publication Date:
      20231215
    • Accession Number:
      PMC5754862
    • Accession Number:
      10.1136/jech-2017-209105
    • Accession Number:
      28855264