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Educational achievement among long-term survivors of congenital heart defects: a Danish population-based follow-up study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 December 2010

Morten Olsen ,
Vibeke E. Hjortdal ,
Laust H. Mortensen ,
Thomas D. Christensen ,
Henrik T. Sørensen  and
Lars Pedersen
Morten Olsen*
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
Vibeke E. Hjortdal
Affiliation:
Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
Laust H. Mortensen
Affiliation:
Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
Thomas D. Christensen
Affiliation:
Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
Henrik T. Sørensen
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
Lars Pedersen
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
*
Correspondence to: Dr M. Olsen, MD, Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Olof Palmes Alle 43–45, DK-8200 Aarhus N, Denmark. Tel: +45 8942 4800; Fax +45 8942 4801; E-mail: mo@dce.au.dk
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Abstract

Background

Congenital heart defect patients may experience neurodevelopmental impairment. We investigated their educational attainments from basic schooling to higher education.

Patients and methods

Using administrative databases, we identified all Danish patients with a cardiac defect diagnosis born from 1 January, 1977 to 1 January, 1991 and alive at age 13 years. As a comparison cohort, we randomly sampled 10 persons per patient. We obtained information on educational attainment from Denmark's Database for Labour Market Research. The study population was followed until achievement of educational levels, death, emigration, or 1 January, 2006. We estimated the hazard ratio of attaining given educational levels, conditional on completing preceding levels, using discrete-time Cox regression and adjusting for socio-economic factors. Analyses were repeated for a sub-cohort of patients and controls born at term and without extracardiac defects or chromosomal anomalies.

Results

We identified 2986 patients. Their probability of completing compulsory basic schooling was approximately 10% lower than that of control individuals (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.79, ranged from 0.75 to 0.82 0.79; 95% confidence interval: 0.75–0.82). Their subsequent probability of completing secondary school was lower than that of the controls, both for all patients (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.74; 95% confidence interval: 0.69–0.80) and for the sub-cohort (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.80; 95% confidence interval: 0.73–0.86). The probability of attaining a higher degree, conditional on completion of youth education, was affected both for all patients (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.88; 95% confidence interval: 0.76–1.01) and for the sub-cohort (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.92; 95% confidence interval: 0.79–1.07).

Conclusion

The probability of educational attainment was reduced among long-term congenital heart defect survivors.

Keywords

Congenital heart defectseducational statuspopulation basedprognosis
Type
Original Articles
Information
Cardiology in the Young , Volume 21 , Issue 2 , April 2011 , pp. 197 - 203
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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