Gesundheitswesen 2023; 85(08/09): 815
DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1770620
Abstracts
Poster
Gesundheitliche Ungleichheit, Sozialepidemiologie

Rural-Urban Disparity in Mortality in Germany From 1999 to 2021

Zhi Qu
1   Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Institut für Epidemiologie, Sozialmedizin und Gesundheitssystemforschung, OE5410, Hannover, Deutschland
2   Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Transplant Zentrum, OE1122, Hannover, Deutschland
,
Christian Krauth
1   Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Institut für Epidemiologie, Sozialmedizin und Gesundheitssystemforschung, OE5410, Hannover, Deutschland
› Author Affiliations
 
 

    Introduction Illustrating the disparities in mortality rates between urban and rural areas is important for identifying health inequalities, improving healthcare access, and informing public policy. The aim of this study is to investigate the urban-rural disparities in age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) overall in Germany.

    Methods Statistics on the population and all deaths in the Regionaldatenbank from 1999 to 2021 were used for analysis. The definition of urban areas was based on the OECD functional urban areas (FUAs). The AAMRs/100,000 population were calculated by multiplying the age-specific death rate for each age group by the corresponding standard population.

    Results From 1999 to 2021, the overall AAMRs/100,000 population in Germany decreased from 1274.5 to 1202.7, with an annual percentage change of −0.2% (95% CI, −0.4% to −0.03%; p=0.023). In metropolitan FUAs, it decreased from 1219.7 to 1064.9, in small/medium-sized FUAs, it decreased from 1246.7 to 1222.3, and in rural areas, it decreased from 1327.9 to 1255.5. The disparities among different areas were observed to be enlarged over time, with an increase of 76% in the absolute difference between metropolitan FUAs and rural areas from 1999 to 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated preexisting disparities, with the absolute difference increasing by 101% from 2019 to 2021.

    Conclusions Rural residents experienced greater mortality, and the disparities among metropolitan FUAs, small/medium-sized FUAs, and rural areas enlarged from 1999 to 2021.


    Publication History

    Article published online:
    22 August 2023

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