Differences in avoidable mortality according to education attainment: situation in the Czech Republic

Klara Hulikova Tesarkova, Charles University in Prague
Jitka Rychtarikova, Charles University in Prague
Pavel Zimmermann, University of Economics, Prague (VSE)

The Czech Republic is typical for its huge differences according to education attainment. The aim of the paper was defined as follows: to find and quantitatively describe the differences in mortality according to education levels in the case of the Czech Republic. The research question entering to our research was whether there still could be found significant differences according to education attainment and moreover, whether there are differences also according to causes of death. Two types of analysis were used – the correspondence analysis and multinomial logistic regression. Thanks to the correspondence analysis the differences according to groups of causes of death are described, the multinomial analysis quantify the differences according to various factors (not only education, but also age, sex, etc.). In the analysis 3 groups of causes of death were distinguished: amenable (treatable), preventable and non-avoidable causes of death. The correspondence analysis proved relations between education level and groups of causes of death – lower education status (basic or vocational) is more connected with preventable or amenable causes of death while higher education (university) is more often tied to the non-avoidable causes (above all at lower ages). Results of the multinomial regression revealed highly unfavorable position according to risk of death of males with only basic education among other education levels. Their mortality is almost triple in comparison to males with vocational education, above all in the case of preventable causes of death. All the results confirm significantly different mortality pattern according to education attainment for males and females in the Czech Republic. Moreover, differences according to causes of death were revealed, especially for males. It corresponds to the assumption that level of education is connected with the life style, care for own health and proper treatment.