Social life factors affecting the mortality, longevity, and birth rate of total Japanese population: effects of rapid industrialization and urbanization.

Abstract

To expand upon the findings that lower mortality was found in Japanese urban areas in contrast to the Western model where in the US and Britain the risk of death was higher in metropolitan areas and conurbations 22 social life indicators are examined among 46 prefectures in Japan in terms of their effect on age specific mortality life expectancy and age adjusted marriage divorce and birth rates. The effects of these factors on age adjusted mortality for 8 major working and nonworking male populations where also analyzed. The 22 social life factors were selected from among 227 indicators in the system of Statistical Indicators on Life. Factor analysis was used to classify the indicators into 8 groups of factors for 1970 and 7 for 1975. Factors 1-3 for both years were rural or urban residence low income and unemployment and prefectural age distribution. The 4th for 1970 was home help for the elderly and for 1975 social mobility. The social life indicators were classified form 1 to 8 as rural residence in 1970 and 1975 urban residence low income high employment old age young age social mobility and home help for the elderly which moved from 8th place in 1970 to 1st in 1975. Between 1960-75 rapid urbanization took place with the proportion of farmers fishermen and workers declining from 43% in 1960 to 19% in 1975. The results of stepwise regression analysis indicate a positive relationship of urban residence with mortality of men and women except school-aged and middle-aged women and the working populations as well as life expectancy at birth for males and females and ages 20 and 40 years for males. Rural residence was positively associated with the male marriage rate whereas the marriage rate for females was affected by industrialization and urbanization. High employment and social mobility were positively related to the female marriage rate. Low income was positively related to the divorce rate for males and females. Rural residence and high employment were positively related to the birth rate. The birth rate is higher in rural areas. Mortality of professional engineering and administrative workers was slightly lower than the total working population while sales workers those in farming fishing and forestry and in personal and domestic service had significantly higher mortality. The mortality of the nonworking population was 6-8 times higher than sales transportation and communication and personal and domestic service as well as the total population.