In recent decades, Portugal has registered a “very favorable evolution in the indicators of inequality in mortality”, approaching that of the other countries in Europe, according to a study released today by the University of Coimbra (UC).

The study, which included the participation of researchers Paula Santana and Cláudia Costa, from the Center for the Study of Geography and Spatial Planning (CEGOT) of the UC, focused on the analysis of the evolution of inequalities in mortality in the United States of America (USA). ) compared to Europe between 1990 and 2018, involving scientists from 15 American and European universities.

Using a common methodology, an analysis in the different countries was carried out by age group, sex and poverty level in the area of ​​residence, referring to a UC, in a note sent today to Lusa agency. In the case of the American population, the study also included ethnic inequalities.

“In 1990, Portuguese mortality was very different from other European countries, especially among the younger ones, having changed rapidly and in 2005 how mortality rates compared well with the richest countries in Europe”, says Paula Santana, professor of UC and coordinator of the study on Portugal.

According to the results of the study – published today in the journal of the American Academy of Sciences, PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) – in Europe “geographical inequalities in mortality arise, fundamentally, from young adults”.

In other words, “it became evident that for children and young people, mortality inequalities are not influenced by the area of ​​residence: poor and rich areas have the same mortality patterns”, mentioned, cited by UC, Paula Santana and Cláudia Costa, co-authors of the scientific article.

Comparing the US with Europe, the results are unfavorable for the North Americans. The study indicates that “in 1990 the life expectancy of Americans in wealthier areas was slightly lower than the life expectancy at birth of Europeans. However, life expectancy was considerably lower for Americans residing in the poorest areas. In the case of the life expectancy of African Americans, it was found that it was always lower, whether in rich or poor areas, when compared to that of Americans and Europeans”, declared Paula Santana and Cláudia Costa.

The evolution seems, however, to have been positive over the period analyzed (1990-2018), noting that “in 2018 the difference in life expectancy between Americans and African Americans decreased to almost half, due to the reduction in mortality from tumors malignancies, homicides, AIDS and causes originating in the fetal or infant period. This decrease is more expressed in the poorest areas and in the younger ones”, reports Cláudia Costa.

It can also be concluded that “the greatest gains in health, with consequences in the increase of life expectancy, if ignored due to the decrease in mortality from health care mortality, that is, causes of death that were avoided by adequate and respective access health care response,” he adds.

Another relevant conclusion about the American reality, according to CEGOT researchers, is the fact that in the period 2012-2018 there was “a stagnation or even a reversal in inequality, which will have consequences in the reduction of the gap in life expectancy between Americans and African Americans. This evidence has negative impacts on the trend, which had been observed, of decreasing the difference in life expectancy between Americans and Europeans, where mortality rates are lower, regardless of age group, sex and area of ​​residence”, concluded .

However, he warns, “despite the improvement in life expectancy of the African-American population, the decrease in mortality is still not enough, putting the US health indicators, studied in this article, in an unfavorable position when compared to those in Europe”.

JEF // SSS