Educational Gradient in Adult Mortality in Chile

Abstract

In this article we examine educational differences in adult mortality (30 or more years of age) in Chile for two periods: 1991-1993 and 2001-2003. We estimate Poisson regression models based on cross-sectional mortality and population data. Our main findings are: 1) overall, adult mortality declined in the period of analysis; 2) Educational differences in mortality reduce with age and are more significant among men than women; 3) There was an increase in educational differences in mortality over the period of analysis, mainly because of sharper mortality declines among the most educated. Despite some data limitations, our findings reveal the significant protective effect of education in adult mortality in Chile.