THE ISRAEL LONGITUDINAL MORTALITY STUDY - DIFFERENTIAL MORTALITY IN ISRAEL 1983-1992 - OBJECTIVES, MATERIALS, METHODS AND PRELIMINARY-RESULTS

The main objective of this study was to investigate mortality differen tials in the Israeli population, aged 40 years and above, with regard to major demographic and socio-economic characteristics, in the nine-a nd-a-half years following the census of 1983. The method of data colle ction consisted of a linkage of records from the 20% sample of the cen sus with the records of deaths occurring until the end of 1992. The li nked file contains the socio-economic and demographic data from the ce nsus, and dates and causes of death taken from the death records. This paper focuses on a systematic evaluation of the quality of the linked file, and includes a description of the characteristics of the file. Methods of verification are presented and sources of possible errors a re discussed. Results of bivariate analyses of mortality differentials in relation to marital status, ethnic origin, level of education, emp loyment, occupation and income are presented.