All-cause and cause-specific mortality differences among women in Belgium: dimensions of socio-economic position considered

Sylvie Gadeyne, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Patrick Deboosere, Vrije Universiteit Brussel

This contribution aims at mortality inequalities among Belgian women. Mortality inequalities have been studied thoroughly, but research has often focussed on men. The role of socio-economic position in women’s mortality has received less consideration. This contribution wants to fill this gap. Socio-economic position is conceptualised as a multi-dimensional concept, using education, occupation and housing quality as indicators. The issue whether each of these dimensions generate different patterns of inequalities – in terms of the magnitude of differentials and the cause of death they act on – has not been discussed thoroughly and certainly not among women and in relation to the life-cycle stage. In trying to answer this question, our analysis focuses on inequalities in all-cause and cause-specific mortality among Belgian women aged 15-29, 30-44, 45-59, 60-74 and 75+ during the first part of the nineties. Results confirm the internationally observed patterns with smaller and less straightforward differences for women.