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Gender differences in socioeconomic inequality in mortality
1Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine, Toronto, Canada. cmustard@iwh.on.ca
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
|December 4, 2003
Summary
Socioeconomic status impacts mortality risk differently for men and women. Absolute measures show higher male mortality inequality, while relative measures indicate equivalent inequality between genders.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Sociology
Background:
- Socioeconomic position is a known determinant of health outcomes, including mortality.
- Existing research has not definitively established gender differences in how socioeconomic status influences mortality risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and analyze gender disparities in socioeconomic inequality related to mortality risk.
- To synthesize evidence on how socioeconomic status affects death rates differently in men and women.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of observational cohort studies (ages 25-64) in developed countries.
- Inclusion criteria: mortality stratified by gender and socioeconomic status.
- Computation of absolute and relative measures of socioeconomic inequality in mortality for both genders.
Main Results:
- 58 studies were included from 136 reviewed.
- Absolute measures indicated higher mortality inequality for men than women in ~90% of studies.
- Relative measures suggested equivalent socioeconomic inequality in mortality risk between genders.
Conclusions:
- The assessment of gender differences in socioeconomic mortality inequality is dependent on the chosen measure (absolute vs. relative).
- Clarifying methodological approaches is crucial for accurate reporting and synthesis of health inequality evidence.