[Mortality by socio-occupational categories in urban and rural areas]

Mortality data in France are studied by a cross sectional analysis including both population density (urban or rural aggregates) and socio-economic groups. The socio-economic differentials in mortality increase with the size of localities. Specific social class distribution partly explains the excess of mortality in rural areas and the lowest mortality in the parisian agglomeration. On the contrary social class distribution does not affect mortality in small towns. Nevertheless, the expected effect of social class does not explain all the discrepancies in mortality between urban and rural areas. The population density is a parameter that should be taken into account when analyzing mortality.