Social inequality and mortality - Data from French mortality statistics according to social status and standardized mortality rates (SMR) over four periods : 1976-1984, 1983-1991, 1991-1999 and 2000-

How has the variation in life expectancy for women and men of different social status changed over time? Changes in life expectancy for French women and men can be plotted thanks to data from official records of births and deaths (état civil). However, to date, little research has been carried out into trends in mortality according to social status. One of the problems is that data from different studies dealing with this subject are rarely comparable, owing to variation in both the methodology and the sources used. However, a working paper (n° F0506) on the subject was published by the French National Statistical Office (Insee) in 2005, covering the period from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s. The aim of this paper is to update the data from that 2005 working paper and to provide information on trends concerning the more recent period (from the beginning of the 1980s to the mid 2000s). Mortality tables for men and women over 30 according to social status have been calculated for four periods using the same source and methodology. The data are also presented in the form of standardized mortality rates (SMR). The paper also aims to discuss the methods used to obtain the results presented in N. Blanpain, “L'espérance de vie s'accroît, les inégalités sociales face à la mort demeurent”, Insee Première, october 2011.