Social inequalities in female mortality by region and by selected causes of death, England and Wales, 2001-03.

This article reports on social inequalities in female mortality by region and cause of death for women aged 25-59 years in England and Wales in the period 2001-03. It is the first official compilation of detailed mortality statistics for women based on the National Statistics Socio-economic Classification (NS-SEC). It is part of a series of articles measuring inequalities in adult mortality. The results demonstrate a strong socio-economic effect on the mortality of women in all regions. This pattern remained consistent between regions. There were marked differences in the socio-economic gradient by cause. Mortality rates for women in the least and most advantaged NS-SEC classes were similar for breast cancer. In contrast, compared to women in the most advantaged class, mortality rates were three times as high for the least advantaged women for lung cancer and cerebrovascular disease, around five times as high for ischaemic heart disease and all digestive diseases, and six times as high for respiratory diseases.