tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Eur J Public Health
. 2026 Oct 9;36(6):ckag196.
doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckag196.
Thora M Kjærulff 1 , Mikkel B Nielsen 1 , Michelle T Pedersen 1 , Kristine Bihrmann 1 , Janne S Tolstrup 1 , Annette K Ersbøll 1
Affiliations Expand
This nationwide cohort study aimed to examine social inequality in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related morbidity and mortality in Denmark during the first three pandemic waves using different individual-level measures of socioeconomic position. Additionally, the study aimed to investigate potential changes in social inequality in COVID-19-related morbidity and mortality throughout the pandemic. The cohort comprised the total Danish population. Individual-level, linkable register data were extracted and analysed for all residents of Denmark across the first three pandemic waves (26 February 2020-15 April 2022). Poisson regression of incidence rates (IR) was performed to compare COVID-19-related morbidity and mortality rates between individuals grouped according to length of educational, household income, and employment status. Social inequality in COVID-19-related hospitalization, ICU admission, and mortality was observed across the three measures of socioeconomic position. The social inequality in COVID-19-related hospitalization and ICU admission increased throughout the pandemic. The incidence rate ratio (IRR) for COVID-19-related hospitalization for individuals with elementary vs. long education increased from 0.93 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.83-1.05] in wave 1 to 1.75 (1.67-1.84) in wave 3. The corresponding changes in IRRs for low vs. high household income and unemployed vs. employed individuals were 0.87 (0.75-1.01) to 1.83 (1.71-1.95) and 1.04 (0.86-1.25) to 3.23 (3.02-3.45), respectively. Social inequality in COVID-19-related morbidity changed during the pandemic. Interventions that reduce differential vulnerability to and consequences of COVID-19 between groups defined by socioeconomic position seem to be increasingly important as pandemics evolve.
. 2026 Oct 9;36(6):ckag196.
doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckag196.
Social inequality in COVID-19-related morbidity and mortality during the first three waves of the pandemic in Denmark: a nationwide register-based cohort study, 2020-22
Thora M Kjærulff 1 , Mikkel B Nielsen 1 , Michelle T Pedersen 1 , Kristine Bihrmann 1 , Janne S Tolstrup 1 , Annette K Ersbøll 1
Affiliations Expand
- PMID: 42962215
- PMCID: PMC13722283
- DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckag196
Abstract
This nationwide cohort study aimed to examine social inequality in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related morbidity and mortality in Denmark during the first three pandemic waves using different individual-level measures of socioeconomic position. Additionally, the study aimed to investigate potential changes in social inequality in COVID-19-related morbidity and mortality throughout the pandemic. The cohort comprised the total Danish population. Individual-level, linkable register data were extracted and analysed for all residents of Denmark across the first three pandemic waves (26 February 2020-15 April 2022). Poisson regression of incidence rates (IR) was performed to compare COVID-19-related morbidity and mortality rates between individuals grouped according to length of educational, household income, and employment status. Social inequality in COVID-19-related hospitalization, ICU admission, and mortality was observed across the three measures of socioeconomic position. The social inequality in COVID-19-related hospitalization and ICU admission increased throughout the pandemic. The incidence rate ratio (IRR) for COVID-19-related hospitalization for individuals with elementary vs. long education increased from 0.93 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.83-1.05] in wave 1 to 1.75 (1.67-1.84) in wave 3. The corresponding changes in IRRs for low vs. high household income and unemployed vs. employed individuals were 0.87 (0.75-1.01) to 1.83 (1.71-1.95) and 1.04 (0.86-1.25) to 3.23 (3.02-3.45), respectively. Social inequality in COVID-19-related morbidity changed during the pandemic. Interventions that reduce differential vulnerability to and consequences of COVID-19 between groups defined by socioeconomic position seem to be increasingly important as pandemics evolve.