[Regional differences in premature mortality in Poland].

The aim of the study was to investigate the regional and social differences in men and women premature mortality. Individual death data for men and women aged 25-64 were obtained from the national mortality database of the Central Statistical Office (CSO). As the data on living Polish adults were available only from the National Population Census, which took place in Poland in 2002 (National Population and Housing Census 2002). The measure of mortality used in this analysis was the sex-, age-, education-specific rate of mortality. The higher mortality rate was observed in the western, north-western and south-western voivodeships. In the Lublin Voivodeship the level of premature mortality was the highest in Poland. The highest mortality of rural men was in the north-eastern, south-western and central regions of Poland, whereas higher mortality rates than average of rural women were in four voivodeships from different parts of Poland. The largest social inequalities in premature mortality was found in Lublin Voivodeship, especially sharp social contrasts were observed in towns. Wider social gaps in mortality than average was discovered for men in Masovian and Lower Silesian Voivodeships and Opole Voivodeship for women. Knowledge about regional differences in mortality helps to construct the adequate preventive programs.