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Socioeconomic differentials in mortality in Finland and the United States: the role of education and income

Author

Listed:
  • Irma T. Elo

    (University of Pennsylvania)

  • Pekka Martikainen

    (University of Helsinki
    University of Helsinki)

  • Kirsten P. Smith

    (Harvard Medical School)

Abstract

We document social inequalities in cause-specific mortality at ages 35–64 in Finland and the United States, countries with different health systems, income distributions, and social welfare programs for the working-aged population. The education–mortality gradient was the most marked for Finnish men and for causes of death linked to risk-taking, health behaviors, and stress. The association between family income and mortality was curvilinear in both countries. The effects of education and income were strongly attenuated after controlling for each other, marital status, and labor force participation, with the greatest attenuation observed for income in Finland and education in the United States.

Suggested Citation

  • Irma T. Elo & Pekka Martikainen & Kirsten P. Smith, 2006. "Socioeconomic differentials in mortality in Finland and the United States: the role of education and income," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 22(2), pages 179-203, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:eurpop:v:22:y:2006:i:2:d:10.1007_s10680-006-0003-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s10680-006-0003-5
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    1. Bethany Everett & David Rehkopf & Richard Rogers, 2013. "The Nonlinear Relationship Between Education and Mortality: An Examination of Cohort, Race/Ethnic, and Gender Differences," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 32(6), pages 893-917, December.
    2. 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.
    3. Pedro García-Castrillo & María A. González-Álvarez, 2021. "Inequality in the Face of Death: The Income Gradient in Mortality of the Spanish Pre-Recession Working-Age Population," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-13, November.
    4. Anna Zajacova & Sarah Burgard, 2013. "Healthier, Wealthier, and Wiser: A Demonstration of Compositional Changes in Aging Cohorts Due to Selective Mortality," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 32(3), pages 311-324, June.
    5. Roland Rau & Gabriele Doblhammer & Vladimir Canudas-Romo & Zhang Zhen, 2008. "Cause-of-Death Contributions to Educational Inequalities in Mortality in Austria between 1981/1982 and 1991/1992," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 24(3), pages 265-286, September.
    6. Jennifer Montez & Robert Hummer & Mark Hayward, 2012. "Educational Attainment and Adult Mortality in the United States: A Systematic Analysis of Functional Form," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 49(1), pages 315-336, February.
    7. Elizabeth M. Lawrence & Richard G. Rogers & Anna Zajacova, 2016. "Educational Attainment and Mortality in the United States: Effects of Degrees, Years of Schooling, and Certification," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 35(4), pages 501-525, August.
    8. Netta E. Mäki & Pekka T. Martikainen, 2008. "The Effects of Education, Social Class and Income on Non-alcohol- and Alcohol-Associated Suicide Mortality: A Register-based Study of Finnish Men Aged 25–64," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 24(4), pages 385-404, December.
    9. Olga Grigoriev & Gabriele Doblhammer, 2019. "Changing educational gradient in long-term care-free life expectancy among German men, 1997-2012," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(9), pages 1-20, September.
    10. Laura Ansala & Ulla Hämäläinen & Matti Sarvimäki, 2016. "Slipping through the Cracks of a Welfare State: Children of Immigrants in Finland," RF Berlin - CReAM Discussion Paper Series 1606, Rockwool Foundation Berlin (RF Berlin) - Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration (CReAM).
    11. Hendi, Arun S. & Elo, Irma T. & Martikainen, Pekka, 2021. "The implications of changing education distributions for life expectancy gradients," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 272(C).
    12. Iliana Kohler & Pekka Martikainen & Kirsten P. Smith & Irma T. Elo, 2008. "Educational differences in all-cause mortality by marital status," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 19(60), pages 2011-2042.
    13. Virginia Zarulli, 2016. "Unobserved Heterogeneity of Frailty in the Analysis of Socioeconomic Differences in Health and Mortality," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 32(1), pages 55-72, February.
    14. Zajacova, Anna & Hummer, Robert A., 2009. "Gender differences in education effects on all-cause mortality for white and black adults in the United States," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 69(4), pages 529-537, August.

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