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Increasing social inequality in life expectancy in Denmark
Henrik Brønnum-Hansen1, Mikkel Baadsgaard
1National Institute of Public Health, Øster Farimagsgade 5A, 1399 Copenhagen, Denmark. hbh@niph.dk
European Journal of Public Health
|May 2, 2007
Summary
Social inequality in mortality widened in Denmark over 25 years. Life expectancy gaps increased, particularly for women with low educational attainment, indicating a growing disparity.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Sociology
- Demography
Background:
- Social inequalities in health outcomes are a significant public health concern.
- Understanding trends in mortality and life expectancy based on socioeconomic status is crucial for policy development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the trends in social inequality concerning mortality and life expectancy in Denmark.
- To analyze how educational level impacts mortality rates and life expectancy over time.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Danish register data on educational level and mortality from 1981-2005 for individuals aged 30-60.
- Calculated sex- and age-specific death rates by educational level, age-standardized for temporal and group comparisons.
- Computed partial life expectancy (age 30 to 75) for 1996-2005.
Main Results:
- The disparity in death rates between low and high educational groups widened significantly: by two-thirds for men and doubled for women (1981-2005).
- The gap in partial life expectancy (age 30-75) between educational groups increased by 0.3 years (1996-2005).
Conclusions:
- A widening social gap in mortality has been observed in Denmark over the past 25 years.
- Women with lower educational attainment have experienced a disproportionately negative impact on their life expectancy.
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