Mortality inequality, spatial differences and health care access
研究了2001至2018年澳大利亚死亡率不平等的变化，发现贫富差距持续存在，且中年群体不平等加剧，部分原因是城乡寿命差异和医疗可及性不均。
Although Australia maintains relatively high standards of health and healthcare, there exists disparity in health outcomes and longevity among different segments of the population. Internationally, there is growing evidence that life expectancy gains are not being shared equally among the rich and the poor. In this paper we examine the evolution of mortality inequality in Australia between 2001 and 2018. Using a spatial inequality model and combining data from several administrative data sources, we document significant mortality inequality between the rich and the poor in Australia. For most age groups, mortality inequality has remained unchanged over the last 20 years. However, mortality inequality is increasing for middle-aged men and women. In part, this can be explained by improvements in longevity which favor urban over rural Australians. Another contributing factor we identify is differential access to healthcare in rich and poor regions. Although Australia's socioeconomic gradient of mortality is flatter than in the US, due to universal health coverage, the fact that mortality inequality is increasing for some groups accentuates the importance of safeguarding health care accessibility.