Socioeconomic factors and mortality: evidences from an Italian study

ABSTRACT

Background

The importance of socioeconomic factors as health determinants is well known in literature. The aim of our study was to demonstrate the correlation between socio-economic factors and the health status of a population in areas with an identical health organization.

Methods

We collected (for the period 1990-2014) the standardized mortality rates in Tuscany (Italy) for each municipality. Linear regression was performed to establish the existence of an association between vulnerability index/unemployment rate and mortality.

Results

The linear regression with the vulnerability index as independent variable and the overall mortality rate for all causes as a dependent variable, showed that the 1991 vulnerability index correlates positively and with the total mortality rates from the 2000–2004 period. The second linear regression considers the unemployment index as the independent variable. The value of the 1991 index correlates positively and in a statistically significant way with the total mortality rates from 2000 to 2004 with a constant increase until 2010–2014.

Conclusions

Our evidences show that a strong, excellent and uniform regional healthcare system are not enough to ensure a uniform level of health among different communities. Socio-economic factors, represent important risk factors for health and could create differences in health state.

KEYWORDS:

• Mortality
• socioeconomic factors
• vulnerability index

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Francesca Nisticò - MD, Specialist in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine.

Gianmarco Troiano - MD, Resident in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine.

Nicola Nante - Full Professor of Public Health

Paolo Piacentini - MD, Specialist in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine.