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Regional Differences in Life Expectancy in Germany at County Levels and their Possible Determinants
Autor | Latzitis N,
Sundmacher L, Busse
R |
Verlag | Gesundheitswesen 73(4):
217-228 (DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1252035)
|
Abstract
The aim
of this study is to show health differences at a county level in
Germany and to identify possible reasons for these differences. The
study calculates life expectancy as being representative for the
health status. The analytical part of the study uses a wide database
with socioeconomic, environmental, educational and health-care data.
In a first step, the set of variables is reduced by a factor analysis
and three factors are generated (socioeconomic conditions,
environment, health-care). Secondly, a cluster analysis is used to
show the regional distribution of the gained factors and thirdly a
regression analysis is used to show the influence of the three factors
on life expectancy. The results of the regression analysis show that
socioeconomic conditions have the greatest influence on health status.
Because of this, preventive health-care measures should integrate an
improvement of socioeconomic conditions.
su/doi/10.1055/s-0030-1252035