Causes of death in Belgium. Analyses of socio-economic inequalities in cause-specific mortality

The National Database Mortality permits a detailed study of socio-economic mortality differences in Belgium. The databank consists of a linkage between the 1991 census and registers data on mortality and emigration during the five year period following the census (from 1/03/1991 until 1/03/1996) and death certificate data on causes of death between 1/03/1991 and 31/12/1995. Analyses of the data concentrate on socio-economic mortality differences among youth and young adults (aged 15-29), adults (aged 30-44), middle-aged respondents (aged 45-59) and the elderly (aged 60-74 and 75+). Indicators of socio-economic position are educational level, socio-professional class, housing quality and activity status. First, we investigate inequalities in overall mortality, which are then decomposed into cause-specific mortality differences (in cancer, circulatory diseases, external causes of death such as suicide and traffic accidents, etc.).