Association of childhood mortality with housing status and unemployment

The association between mortality at the ages of 0-4 and 5-14 years in the county boroughs of England and Wales for 1971, using Kendall's correlation technique, and a variety of socioeconomic indicators, was computed. Kendall's partial correlation technique was used to determine whether any association remained when the effect of social class and unemployment was kept constant. At ages 0-4 years there was a significant and positive association between mortality and low socioeconomic position, high density housing, inadequate housing amenities, and the unemployment rate (P less than 0.001). A significant association with the housing variables remained when the effect of socioeconomic status and unemployment was kept constant. Between the ages 5-14 years there was a statistically significant association (P less than 0.001) between mortality and housing density which was eliminated when the effect of social class was held constant. There was no association between unemployment and mortality in this age group.