CAUSE-SPECIFIC MORTALITY BY MARITAL-STATUS AND SOCIAL-CLASS IN FINLAND DURING 1969-1971

Variation in cause-specific mortality by marital status and social class in Finland during 1969-1971 was studied. Greatest variations were found for violent deaths, infectious diseases and alcohol-associated diseases. If other factors were kept constant, elimination of differences in mortality by social class would reduce total mortality by 21%. The corresponding figure for marital state differences would be 13%. However, differences in mortality rates between marital status categories were greater than between social class categories. It was concluded that both selective forces and environmental factors influence these mortality differences, but further clarification should be based on prospective studies of life-changes, environmental factors and morbidity. © 1979.