Socio-economic inequalities in all-cause mortality in Europe: an exploration of the role of heightened social mobility.
The larger than expected socio-economic inequalities in health in more egalitarian countries might be explained by a heightened social mobility in these countries. Therefore, the aim of this explorative study was to examine the associations between country-level social mobility, income inequality and socio-economic differences in all-cause mortality, using country-level secondary data from 12 European countries. Both income equality and social mobility were found to be associated with larger socio-economic differences in mortality, particularly in women. These findings suggest that social mobility and income equality, beside their shiny side of improving population health, might have a shady side of increasing socio-economic health inequalities.
Department of Social Medicine, Maastricht University, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, The Netherlands.
Audrey M W
AM
Simons
Daniëlle A I
DA
Groffen
Hans
H
Bosma
D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D009026:Mortality; D012737:Sex Factors; D012937:Social Mobility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors