• Andreas Völkerer, Sarah Wernly, Georg Semmler, Maria Flamm, Konrad Radzikowski, Leonora Datz, Elmar Aigner, Christian Datz, and Bernhard Wernly.
• Department of Internal Medicine, General Hospital Oberndorf, Teaching Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria.
• Med Princ Pract. 2024 Jan 1; 33 (3): 242250242-250.

ObjectiveEducation often reflects socioeconomic status. Research indicates that lower socioeconomic status may increase the risk of diverticulosis, and according to data from the USA, diverticular disease is a significant and costly health problem. Our study explores the link between educational level and colonic diverticula occurrence.Subject And MethodsWe conducted a cohort study on 5,532 asymptomatic Austrian patients who underwent colonoscopy, categorizing them by education level using the updated Generalized International Standard Classification of Education (GISCED). Logistic regression models, adjusting for age, gender, metabolic syndrome, diet, and activity, were used to determine the association between education and diverticulosis.ResultsOverall, 39% of the patients had low educational status, while 53% had medium, and 8% had high educational status. Colon diverticula were less frequent in patients with medium (OR 0.73) and high (aOR 0.62) educational status. Medium educational level remained associated with lower rates of diverticulosis after adjustment for age and sex (aOR 0.85) and further metabolic syndrome, dietary habits, and physical activity (aOR 0.84). In higher education status, this phenomenon was only seen by trend.ConclusionLow education correlated with higher colon diverticula risk, while medium education showed lower rates even after adjustments. This trend persisted at higher education levels, highlighting the potential for strategies for cost reduction tailored to socioeconomic conditions.© 2024 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

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