Widening Socioeconomic Inequalities in U.S. Death Rates, 1993–2001
Author Information
Author(s): Ahmedin Jemal, Elizabeth Ward, Robert N. Anderson, Taylor Murray, Michael J. Thun
Primary Institution: American Cancer Society
Hypothesis
How have socioeconomic inequalities in U.S. death rates changed from 1993 to 2001?
Conclusion
Socioeconomic inequalities in mortality are increasing rapidly due to continued progress by educated individuals and stable or worsening trends among the least educated.
Supporting Evidence
- The all-cause death rate increased significantly by 3.2% per year in the least educated white women.
- The rate ratio comparing the least versus most educated increased from 2.9 to 4.4 among white men.
- Death rates from all causes combined decreased significantly among the most educated men and women.
Takeaway
People with less education are dying more often than those with more education, and this gap is getting bigger.
Methodology
The study analyzed national death certificate data from 43 states and Washington, D.C. for individuals aged 25-64, focusing on death rates by education level.
Potential Biases
Potential misclassification of education on death certificates could affect the results.
Limitations
The study only used educational attainment as a measure of socioeconomic position, which may not capture all relevant factors.
Participant Demographics
The study focused on non-Hispanic whites and blacks aged 25-64 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI, 2.8–3.1; 4.1–4.6
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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