Growing gaps: The importance of income and family for educational inequalities in mortality among Swedish men and women 1990–2009

Abstract

Aims: Although absolute levels of mortality have decreased among Swedish men and women in recent decades, educational inequalities in mortality have increased, especially among women. The aim of this study is to disentangle the role of income and family type in educational inequalities in mortality in Sweden during 1990–2009, focusing on gender differences. Methods: Data on individuals born in Sweden between the ages of 30 and 74 years were collected from total population registries, covering a total of 529,275 deaths and 729 million person-months. Temporary life expectancies (age 30–74 years) by education were calculated using life tables, and rate ratios were estimated with Poisson regression with robust standard errors. Results: Temporary life expectancy improved among all groups except low educated women. Relative educational inequalities in mortality (RRs) increased from 1.79 to 1.98 among men and from 1.78 to 2.10 among women. Variation in family type explained some of the inequalities among men, but not among women, and did not contribute to the trend. Variation in income explained a larger part of the educational inequalities among men compared to women and also explained the increase in educational inequalities in mortality among men and women. Conclusions: Increasing educational inequalities in mortality in Sweden may be attributed to the increase in income inequalities in mortality.