Gender specific trends in socio-economic differentials in all-cause mortality in Austria between 1981/82 and 1991/92

Gabriele Doblhammer, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research
Roland Rau, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research
Josef Kytir, Statistik Austria

This study finds a widening gap in educational and occupational differentials in total mortality of Austrian males between 1981/82 and 1991/1992. The increase is restricted to ages 50 to 74 while mortality differentials at younger and older ages remained unchanged or slightly declined. The widening gap results from increasing mortality advantages of the highest educational group, namely men with tertiary education. Their relative mortality risks decreased faster than that of all other educational groups. Educational differentials among women remained unchanged. The study is based on linked death and census records for the total Austrian population of the years 1981/82 and 1991/92. These are the only two time periods for which information about the socioeconomic characteristics of the deceased is available in Austria.