Article Text

Download PDFPDF
Social class mortality differentials: artefact, selection or life circumstances?
  1. A J Fox,
  2. P O Goldblatt,
  3. D R Jones

    Abstract

    Data from 10 years follow up of mortality in the OPCS Longitudinal Study are used to relate deaths of men in 1976-81 to their social class as recorded by the 1971 census. Explanations of social class mortality differentials are critically reviewed in the light of these new data. The similarity between the class differentials observed for men aged 15-64 years in this study and those reported in the 1970-2 Decennial Supplement on Occupational Mortality indicate that the published gradients were not in fact grossly distorted by numerator denominator biases. Distortions to gradients observed in the early years of the longitudinal study and ascribed to selective health related mobility out of employment from the principal social classes to the permanently sick had largely worn off after five years of follow up. Sharp gradients at ages over 75 years, similar to those at younger ages, suggest that, for men aged over 50 years, selective health related mobility between social classes does not contribute to differentials in mortality.

    Statistics from Altmetric.com

    Request Permissions

    If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.