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Context/problem: Comparative analysis of relative and absolute mortality differentials between socioeconomic groups are now available. These show consistently increasing relative increases in mortality differentials but complex trends in absolute mortality differentials. Objective: This paper provides an analysis of relative and absolute trends in mortality by cause of death and socioeconomic group (SEG) from 1984 to 2008 among men and active women aged 30-64 years in Ireland and compares these results with recent European and US studies to give an overview of trends. Methods: This paper uses mortality data from the Irish Central Statistics Office from 1984 to 2008 to calculate standardized death rates by age, sex, socioeconomic status and cause of death showing trends in SEG inequalities in mortality in Ireland. These show which specific causes of death are driving all-cause mortality trends. Results: SEG differentials in all-cause mortality among men and women have been increasing since the 1980s. Some of this increase reflects larger falls in cardiovascular causes among advantaged groups, but the trend is largely accounted for by increasing inequalities in mortality in digestive, neoplasm and external causes of deaths. Conclusions: These findings are in line with international findings that show that socioeconomic differentials in digestive, neoplasm and external cause deaths are driving general socioeconomic differentials in all-cause mortality. External cause deaths may have been influenced by levels of economic activity, particularly in construction, during the economic boom among manual workers. Furthermore, deaths from digestive diseases during the 1990s and 2000s may well be the result of increases in liver disease associated with excessive alcohol consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The study of mortality differentials by class or socio-economic group is underdeveloped in Ireland in comparison to other countries. The work that has been done has used a standardized mortality ratio (SMR) methodology to measure deaths. There has been no previous work exploring the social gradient in years of potential life lost (YPLL) in Ireland. Methods: The aim is to investigate socio-economic mortality differentials for men aged between 15 and 69 in Ireland, using YPLL as a measure of premature mortality. The design is a mortality trends study. The study is based on mortality data supplied by the Central Statistics Office in Ireland and population data taken from the Census for the years 1981 and 1991. The data covers ail male deaths aged 15-69 in the years 1981 and 1991. Social position is measured by a 12-category socio-economic group (SEG) framework and by a more aggregate four-category occupational classification system. Results: When age at death is taken into account through YPLL, injury and poisoning is a major cause of premature mortality in Ireland for ail socio-economic groups. The results also show significant differentials in YPLL by 12-category SEG in Ireland. There was a widening of the social gap during the period 1981 to 1991 as measured by the YPLL ratio between lower manual/upper non-manual occupational groups. The use of YPLL as a measure of premature mortality highlights the importance of respiratory disease and injury and poisoning as the major sources of health inequality in 1981 and 1991. Conclusions: YPLL is an important indicator of general mortality and for monitoring mortality differentials by socio-economic group. Current health inequalities as measured by YPLL are unacceptably high in Ireland. A comprehensive government strategy to reduce inequalities in mortality is required, having the primary objective of improving the economic and social circumstances of people in the lower manual occupational category. There is... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on public health research, specifically on the inequalities and regional differences in health. One study explored the differences in morbidity and mortality within various Protestant denominations in Northern Ireland. Another paper focused on the contribution of causes of death to inequalities in mortality in Scotland, taking into consideration the impact at different ages for men and women.

Background: Deaths from diseases of the circulatory system and the seasonality of deaths from these causes fell sharply between 1995 and 2005 among older age groups in Ireland. We examine whether a structural break occurred in deaths from circulatory causes in Ireland between 1995 and 2005 and test whether this can be statistically accounted for by cardiovascular prescribing during the same period controlling for weather trends. Methods: Grouped logit time series models were used to identify if and at which quarter a structural break occurred in Irish circulatory deaths between 1995 and 2005. Data on cardiovascular prescribing and temperature within the quarter were entered into the trend-break model to account for the structural break. Results: Controlling for temperature, β-blocker, ace-inhibitor and aspirin medications rendered the structural break indicator insignificant among all age groups for men. Diuretic, statin and calcium channel blocker medications could not account for the break point for men aged 75–84 years. β-Blocker, aspirin and calcium channel blocker medications account for mortality trends among all age groups among women. Ace inhibitor and statin could not account for trends amongst women aged 65–74 years and nitrates and diuretics did not account for trends for any age group. Conclusions: Cardiovascular prescribing accounts for the trend break in circulatory mortality among men and women aged ≥65 years after 1999 in Ireland but the effect of prescribing is lower for women. β-Blocker, ace inhibitor and aspirin medications were more successful than statin, diuretic and nitrates in accounting for the trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]