Does the variation in the socioeconomic characteristics of an area affect mortality?

Abstract

Our research in England has shown that the more deprived an area the greater its incidence of premature mortality.1 Wilkinson has argued that in the developed world income distribution is a more important predictor of life expectancy between countries than simply mean income.2 We aimed to determine whether the risk of mortality in a geographical area was related to the degree of socioeconomic variation within that area as well as the average level of deprivation. For each of the 8464 wards in England we obtained the Townsend deprivation index from the 1981 census1 and directly standardised all cause mortality for 1981-5. Mortality under the age of 65 was used as an indicator of premature mortality. Male and female mortality rates were averaged for each ward. Twenty four wards were …