Educational Disparities in Preventable Deaths: Do They Explain the Longevity Gap Between Mexico and Spain?

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Demography
• Health Economics

Background:

• Life expectancy disparities persist between high-income and middle-income countries.
• Preventable mortality is a key factor influencing these differences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the contribution of preventable deaths to the life expectancy gap between Mexico and Spain.
• To assess potential gains in temporary life expectancy by eliminating preventable mortality.

Main Methods:

• Linear integral decomposition was employed to analyze preventable mortality's impact on temporary life expectancy (ages 30-75) in 2018.
• Cause-deleted life tables were computed to estimate potential life expectancy gains.
• Analyses were stratified by educational attainment, sex, and age.

Main Results:

• Eliminating preventable deaths offered the largest gains in temporary life expectancy for low-educated Mexicans (3.4 years for males, 1.6 for females).
• This reduction partially explained the life expectancy gap between Mexico and Spain.
• Removing preventable deaths could nearly close the gap, especially for middle- and high-educated individuals, due to higher relative decreases.

Conclusions:

• While healthcare access is vital, non-medical public policies are crucial for reducing mortality disparities.
• Targeted non-medical interventions can significantly narrow the life expectancy gap between Mexico and Spain.
• Improvements are particularly notable for individuals with higher educational attainment.