Regionale Sterblichkeitsunterschiede in der Schweiz: Ein nicht ganz einfach zu bestimmender indikator für regional ungleiche Lebenschancen

Abstract

Life expectancy is a major public health issue and an important measure of regional living conditions. Valid analyses of mortality should not only consider regional age structure and differences between males and females but also several incongruities between numerator and denominator. arising from discordant definitions of domicile and from less reliable mortality figures for the foreigners. For Swiss Citizens aged 35 to 64 years the patterns of all-cause mortality in Switzerland present remarkable regional disparities. amounting to several years of life expectancy. Geographical Variation is more important in males than in females, corresponding to the riskier health behaviour of men. Unfavourable mortality figures were revealed for French-speaking regions and the big cities. Regional mortality figures and trends reflect cultural and social circumstances. Carefully analysed they offer a lot of information to the regional scientist. © Author(s) 1997. This work is distributed.