Italian Atlas of mortality inequalities by education level.

Abstract

The study highlighted important geographical differences in mortality, regardless of age and socioeconomic level, with a more significant impact in the poorer Southern regions, revealing a never-before-seen health advantage in the regions along the Adriatic coast. A lower education level explains a considerable proportion of mortality risk, although with differing effects by geographical area and cause of death. There are still mortality inequalities in Italy, therefore, representing a possible missed gain in health in our Country; these inequalities suggest a reassessment of priorities and definition of health targets. Forty years after the Italian National Health Service was instituted, the goal of health equity has not yet been fully achieved.