[Social characteristics influencing the mortality of male members of an insurance company in the years 1989 to 2000 -- A longitudinal study for the birth cohorts 1940-1949 of the Gmuend statutory insurance body].

The study goal is to analyse the association between social and occupational characteristics and mortality. Data are from a longitudinal register for the members of a statutory insurance body 'Gmuender Ersatzkasse' (GEK) for the period 1989 to 2000. Included are males, born 1940 - 1949, who were GEK-members on January 1, 1989 (n = 58 705). The dependent variable is defined as 'reason for end of health insurance: deceased' (n = 2283). Independent variables are: age, occupational group, family status, nationality and insurance status. The statistical analysis was performed with the software package 'Transitional Data Analysis' (TDA). It included cumulative mortality rates based on the Kaplan-Meier method and the multivariate analysis in order to assess hazard rates (maximum likelihood estimation). Statistically significant increased mortality rates for the 12-year observation period were found for non-married persons, for persons with less qualified occupations, and for mandatory health insurance members. No significant difference was observed between study subjects with and without German nationality. The observed strong social gradient in the overall mortality rates for male members of the GEK underline the challenge to reduce the social inequities in health chances which has recently been placed on the political agenda for the German health insurance companies.