[Avoidable mortality. The case of the North border of Mexico, 1980-1990]

When the death causes are understood as a result of morbility process that may have been avoided with different kinds of economic, social and welfare services policies and the advance of scientific and technologic knowledges, there is clearly a structural determinism so that many population social sectors can't reach the "modern epidemiological patterns". This study used annual data bases of register death 1979-1991 brought by INEGI/DGE-SSA from five Mexican federal border entities. It were adjusted by Preston-Coale method and Life Tables were generated in 1980 and 1990. The percentage contributions of avoidable causes' groups by sex and age of the increases in the Expectation of Life (Ex) were calculated in the same years following Pollard's method. As result of this research, limited increments of Ex were found because of the permanence of high contribution of deaths, that may have been avoided (50%). Contrary to popular beliefs, Ex male diminished the difference compared with Ex female. Highest male mortality is explained even for this kind of causes, where accidents and violence deaths are bringing high percentages of total mortality.