TABLE 1—

Trends in the Educational Gradient of Mortality by Cause of Death Among Non-Hispanic White Women Aged 45–84 Years: United States, 1986–2006

	Absolute Gradient, SRD					Relative Gradient, SRR
Cause of Death by Groupa	1986–1994	1995–1998	1999–2002	2003–2006	Pb	1986–1994	1995–1998	1999–2002	2003–2006	Pb
All causes	1728	1973	2103	2267	<.001	3.45	4.13	4.06	5.06	.07
Group 1
Breast cancer	7	44	30	33	.38	1.08	1.81	1.59	1.85	.17
Other (not lung or breast) cancer	212	247	223	222	.83	2.43	2.98	2.51	2.82	.57
Accidental and violent deaths	12	33	48	30	.33	1.43	3.10	3.77	1.96	.58
Influenza and pneumonia	48	42	48	56	.44	4.39	3.26	5.24	10.12	.26
Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis	15	18	16	17	.57	3.06	5.37	2.93	3.27	.9
Infectious and parasitic diseases	17	43	31	39	.3	2.76	9.46	3.43	3.45	.99
Group 2: heart disease	749	715	667	618	.02	5.47	5.62	5.45	7.30	.27
Group 3
Lung cancer	103	160	181	257	.03	2.61	3.27	3.95	7.09	.06
Cerebrovascular disease	117	125	148	149	.05	3.49	3.83	3.86	5.51	.15
Group 4
Chronic lower respiratory disease	117	173	193	279	.04	5.58	7.78	6.84	10.33	.13
Diabetes	63	74	104	105	.06	5.30	7.69	7.24	7.04	.3
Alzheimer’s disease	6	12	38	39	.07	1.82	2.77	4.48	3.52	.14
Other causes	261	287	375	422	.04	4.17	3.99	4.27	5.21	.26

Note. SRD = standardized rate difference per 100 000; SRR = standardized rate ratio.

^aGroup 1 exhibited a negligible increase in the gradient. In group 2, mortality risk declined for all women. In group 3, mortality risk increased for low-educated women and decreased for high-educated women. In group 4, mortality risk increased the most for low-educated women.

^bP value for test of linear trend using ordinary least squares regression.