Socioeconomic Differentials in Mortality by Cause and Age in the U.S.

Allison R. Sullivan, University of Pennsylvania

The inverse relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and mortality is well-known, but the mechanisms behind it are not well understood. This study compares differences in overall and cause-specific mortality by SES for adults over age 50 in the U.S. to see how the SES-mortality gradient varies by cause of death. Using Cox proportional hazard models, I find large all-cause mortality differentials by education. I find large differences in mortality by education for respiratory diseases, circulatory diseases, lung cancer, and endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases. These mortality differences inform how SES affects health.