Underlying causes of the emerging nonmetropolitan mortality penalty

Authors

Jeralynn S. Cossman, Mississippi State University
Wesley L. James, Mississippi State UniversityFollow
Arthur G. Cosby, Mississippi State University
Ronald E. Cossman, Mississippi State University

Abstract

The nonmetropolitan mortality penalty results in an estimated 40201 excessive US deaths peryear, deaths that would not occur if nonmetropolitan and metropolitan residents died at the same rate. We explored the underlying causes of the nonmetropolitan mortality penalty by examining variation in cause of death. Declines in heart disease and cancer death rates in metropolitan areas drive the nonmetropolitan mortality penalty. Future work should explore why the top causes of death are higher in nonmetropolitan areas than they are in metropolitan areas.

Publication Title

American Journal of Public Health

Recommended Citation

Cossman, J., James, W., Cosby, A., & Cossman, R. (2010). Underlying causes of the emerging nonmetropolitan mortality penalty. American Journal of Public Health, 100 (8), 1417-1419. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2009.174185