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Problems in the measurement and international comparison of socio-economic differences in mortality

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  • Valkonen, Tapani

Abstract

The opportunities for research of socio-economic differences in mortality are best in countries where a sytem of personal identification numbers makes the computerised linkage of census and death records possible. The first part of this study is an example of the use of such linked records. It presents results on the development of mortality differences by level of education and occupational class in Finland in the period 1971-1985. Socio-economic mortality differences among middle-aged and elderly men increased in Finland during the study period. The increase was mainly due to the rapid decline of mortality from cardiovascular disease among upper white-collar employees and men with more than secondary education. Relative socio-economic mortality differences were smaller among than among men and remained unchanged in 1971-1985. The second part of the article discusses the problems in international comparison of socio-economic mortality differences and summarises results from two comparative studies. The results are inconsistent: differences by level of education among men were found to be similar in six countries included in the comparison, whereas marked variation was found in the ratios of the mortality of manual workers to the mortality of non-manual workers.

Suggested Citation

  • Valkonen, Tapani, 1993. "Problems in the measurement and international comparison of socio-economic differences in mortality," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 36(4), pages 409-418, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:36:y:1993:i:4:p:409-418
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    Cited by:

    1. Alyson van Raalte & Mikko Myrskylä & Pekka Martikainen, 2015. "The role of smoking on mortality compression," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 32(20), pages 589-620.
    2. Markéta Pechholdová & Gabriela Šamanová, 2013. "Mortality by marital status in a rapidly changing society: Evidence from the Czech Republic," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 29(12), pages 307-322.
    3. Shkolnikov, Vladimir M. & Jasilionis, Domantas & Andreev, Evgeny M. & Jdanov, Dmitri A. & Stankuniene, Vladislava & Ambrozaitiene, Dalia, 2007. "Linked versus unlinked estimates of mortality and length of life by education and marital status: Evidence from the first record linkage study in Lithuania," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 64(7), pages 1392-1406, April.
    4. Virginia Zarulli & Domantas Jasilionis & Dmitri Jdanov, 2012. "Changes in educational differentials in old-age mortality in Finland and Sweden between 1971-1975 and 1996-2000," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 26(19), pages 489-510.
    5. Eamon O’Shea, 2002. "Measuring Trends in Male Mortality by Socio-Economic Group in Ireland - A Note on the Quality of the Data," The Economic and Social Review, Economic and Social Studies, vol. 33(2), pages 247-257.
    6. Shkolnikov, Vladimir M. & Cornia, Giovanni A. & Leon, David A. & Mesle, France, 1998. "Causes of the Russian mortality crisis: Evidence and interpretations," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 26(11), pages 1995-2011, November.
    7. Alyson A. van Raalte & Pekka Martikainen & Mikko Myrskylä, 2012. "Lifespan variation by occupational class: compression or stagnation over time?," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2012-010, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    8. Alyson van Raalte & Pekka Martikainen & Mikko Myrskylä, 2014. "Lifespan Variation by Occupational Class: Compression or Stagnation Over Time?," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 51(1), pages 73-95, February.
    9. Hannelore Grande & Patrick Deboosere & Hadewijch Vandenheede, 2013. "Evolution of educational inequalities in mortality among young adults in an urban setting," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 58(6), pages 825-835, December.
    10. Vladimir M. Shkolnikov & Evgeny M. Andreev & Dmitri A. Jdanov & Domantas Jasilionis & Tapani Valkonen, 2009. "To what extent do rising mortality inequalities by education and marital status attenuate the general mortality decline? The case of Finland in 1971-2030," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2009-018, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.

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