Occupational and educational differentials in mortality in French elderly people

Mortality follow-up of two census samples allowed an estimate of socio-economic differentials in mortality for old men, using occupational classes and levels of education reported by individuals when they were active. The study shows persisting mortality differentials after 60 years of age. Over the 1960-65 and 1990-95 periods mortality differentials remained constant between non-manual upper classes and manual workers, while differentials have increased between the upper classes and the least skilled manual workers. Educational status has an impact on the mortality risks, independently from occupational status; the magnitude of its impact slightly changed over time. Level of education partly explains occupational differentials in mortality. The study shows that a differentiated increase in the average level of education can impact on trends in occupational differentials in mortality.