Socio-economic mortality inequalities in Lithuania during 2001-2009: the record linkage study

Objectives: To present socio-economic inequalities in mortality and their trends in Lithuania using routinely collected data and record linkage for the years 2001-2009, as related to educational level, occupation, economic activity, marital status and household size.

Study design: Retrospective cohort study.

Methods: Record linkage was performed using personal identification number between three data sources: 2001 population census, national mortality register for years 2001-2009 and population register, including individuals of age 30 years and older. The linked data set consisted of 2,061,481 records, including 338,652 death cases. Age-standardized mortality rates were calculated for socio-economic groups and compared in terms of rate differences (RD) and rate ratios (RR).

Results: Significant mortality inequalities were found for all socio-economic variables. Both among males and females the highest RR were observed for the occupation (males--3.4, females--2.8) and economic activity status (males--2.7, females--3.1). RR were the highest in mid-ages and declined with ageing. RD increased with the increase in total mortality during 2005-2007, while decline in inequalities was observed in later years.

Conclusions: Lower education, manual occupations, unemployed, economically inactive and unmarried groups of population appeared in the most unfavourable position in terms of mortality and contributed most to the mortality increase in Lithuania throughout 2005-2007.