Social determinants of health and female reproductive health: risk score development and cross-national study based on multi-national analysis - PubMed
5 hours ago
- #Mendelian randomization
- #Health disparities
- #Women’s health
- Social determinants of health (SDoH) significantly influence female reproductive health, but existing research lacks comprehensive assessments of their cumulative effects.
- The study explores the association between multidimensional SDoH scores and the composite reproductive health index (RRS) and identifies potential causal mechanisms.
- Data from the UK Biobank (UKB) and the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were analyzed, with weighted and unweighted SDoH scores constructed based on Healthy People 2030 domains.
- Higher SDoH scores (indicating greater disadvantage) were linearly associated with increased RRS in both cohorts.
- Subgroup analyses revealed effect modification by age, BMI, diabetes status, smoking, and physical activity.
- Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis identified significant causal associations between educational attainment and six RRS-related variables.
- The study provides the first systematic evidence of a positive dose-response relationship between SDoH scores and female reproductive risk.
- Targeted socioeconomic interventions, including improved educational opportunities, economic support, and social environment enhancements, are recommended to mitigate disparities in women's reproductive health outcomes.