Death out of State: Arizonans who die Elsewhere

Abstract

Many individuals in America die in distant states, sometimes quite far from what is considered their residence. This study employs an analysis of death certificates in order to explore the geography of death away from home. The state of Arizona, 807 residents of which died out-of-state in 1984, is used as a case study. This study reveals that most out-of-state deaths did not occur randomly around the United States, but rather occurred in adjacent states, and in those states that have strong cultural and economic ties to Arizona. Most deaths occurred in summer months, when most Arizonans can be expected to be out of the state. Finally, it appears that minorities do not travel much out of Arizona, except for Navajo Indians, who are a very special case.

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