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Prevalence of thyroid dysfunction and its relationship to income level and employment status: a nationwide population-based study in Spain

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Abstract

Purpose

The influence of socioeconomic conditions on the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in the population has been scarcely studied to date. The aim of this study has been to evaluate the influence of income level and employment status on the prevalence of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was performed using the population-based database BDCAP (Base de Datos Clínicos de Atención Primaria, Primary Care Clinical Database) to analyze the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in the Spanish population classified by income groups and employment status.

Results

Of the 40,613,229 people registered in the BDCAP in 2020, there were 2,596,041 (6.39%) with a diagnosis of hypothyroidism and 418,722 (1.03%) with hyperthyroidism. The prevalence of hypothyroidism in people with high income (≥ 100,000 euros/year), medium income (18,000–99,999 euros/year), low income (< 18,000 euros/year), and very low income were, respectively, 4.23%, 5.74%, 6.75%, and 7.01% (P < 0.001). The prevalence of hyperthyroidism in the same income groups also showed an increasing trend as income decreased (0.65%, 0.94%, 1.08%, and 1.10%; P < 0.001). Unemployed people had higher frequencies of hypothyroidism (7.35%) and hyperthyroidism (1.22%) than working people (5.80 and 1.00%, respectively) and inactive people (4.21 and 0.52%, respectively; P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Socioeconomic conditions are related to the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction. Low-income or unemployed people have a higher frequency of both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.

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Data Availability

Data used in this study are available to investigators upon reasonable request.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Endocrinology, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Puerta de Hierro Segovia de Arana, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain

    Juan J. Díez & Pedro Iglesias

  2. Department of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Juan J. Díez & Pedro Iglesias

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  1. Juan J. Díez
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  2. Pedro Iglesias
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Correspondence to Juan J. Díez.

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Given that this study is based on data from a public database of the Ministry of Health and does not involve the use of personal data of the patients or any medical intervention they may have undergone, it was not considered necessary to obtain informed consent or approval by the ethical committee.

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Díez, J.J., Iglesias, P. Prevalence of thyroid dysfunction and its relationship to income level and employment status: a nationwide population-based study in Spain. Hormones 22, 243–252 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42000-023-00435-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42000-023-00435-9

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