Ecological association between a deprivation index and mortality in France over the period 1997 – 2001: variations with spatial scale, degree of urbanicity, age, gender and cause of death
2009

Deprivation Index and Mortality in France

Sample size: 2650390 publication 10 minutes Evidence: high

Author Information

Author(s): Rey Grégoire, Jougla Eric, Fouillet Anne, Hémon Denis

Primary Institution: INSERM

Hypothesis

The study aims to evaluate the association between a newly created ecological deprivation index and mortality across various demographics in France.

Conclusion

The deprivation index reflects significant spatial socioeconomic disparities and is associated with higher mortality rates, particularly among younger individuals and men.

Supporting Evidence

  • The standardized mortality ratio was 24% higher in the most deprived quintile compared to the least deprived.
  • The association between deprivation and mortality was positive and quasi-log-linear across all geographic scales.
  • Mortality differentials were significantly greater for individuals under 65 years of age.

Takeaway

This study shows that poorer areas in France have higher death rates, especially for younger people and men, which helps understand health inequalities.

Methodology

The study developed a deprivation index at the commune level and analyzed its association with mortality using various spatial scales and demographic factors.

Potential Biases

Potential biases may arise from the ecological nature of the study, which cannot distinguish individual from contextual effects.

Limitations

The index does not account for individual-level socioeconomic factors and may not fully explain geographic mortality variations.

Participant Demographics

The study included nearly 60 million residents of mainland France, with a focus on various age groups and urbanicity levels.

Statistical Information

P-Value

0.0001

Confidence Interval

[1.15; 1.17]

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1471-2458-9-33

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