[Social inequality and mortality in Spain]

The routine information sources published by the National Statistics Institute have been used to show the mortality rate with regard to the socioeconomic situation. Occupation has been used as an indicator for the socioeconomic position. The deaths of males between the ages of 16 and 65 years have been considered. The population chosen was that which figured in the 1981 Census. The measurements which have been studied are the Standardized Mortality Rate, the Standardized Mortality Ratio (SMR) and Potential Life Years Lost (PLYL). Differences in mortality according to occupational group have been found; group VII always displayed the worst results. The Mortality Rate of this group is 1.65 times higher than that group I, the SMR is 149 (100 in group I) and the PLYL rate is 43.59 per 1000 (per 28.48 in group I). The best results in group V have been attributed to the lack of homogeneity among its components, thus limiting its use in this type of study.