title: Health inequalities during 20 years of rapid economic development in China (1980-2000): a mortality analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the influence of China's economic reforms on population health and regional mortality rates.
  
  
  METHODS
  Longitudinal study measuring the mortality trends and their regional variations. Using data from the three most recent national censuses, we used the model life table to adjust the mortality levels within the population for each census, and to calculate life expectancy. We then examined the variation in patterns of mortality and population health by economic status, region and gender from 1980-2000.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Life expectancy varied with economic status, province, and gender. Results showed that, although life expectancy in China had increased overall since the early 1980s, regional differences became more pronounced. Life expectancy for populations who live in the eastern coastal provinces are greater than those in the western regions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Differences in life expectancy are primarily related to differences in regional economic development, which in turn exacerbate regional health inequalities. Therefore, it is necessary to improve economic development in less developed regions and to improve health policies and the public health system that address the needs of everyone.
authors: WHO Collaborating Center on Reproductive Health and Population Science, Peking University, Beijing, China. xyzheng@pku.edu.cn
authors: XiaoYing
authors: X
authors: Zheng
authors: XinMing
authors: X
authors: Song
authors: Gong
authors: G
authors: Chen
authors: YunZhong
authors: Y
authors: You
authors: Qiang
authors: Q
authors: Ren
authors: JuFen
authors: J
authors: Liu
authors: Lei
authors: L
authors: Zhang
authors: LingFang
authors: L
authors: Tan
authors: JiHong
authors: J
authors: Wei
authors: QiuYuan
authors: Q
authors: Chen
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D003906:Developing Countries; D004467:Economics; D005260:Female; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008297:Male; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D012727:Sex Characteristics