An Analysis of Death Using the National Longitudinal Mortality Study

Abstract

Using an expansive survey of death that includes not only socioeconomic and demographic information on a deceased person, but also his or her cause of death, the present study attempts to examine the determinants of death. The present study uses the National Longitudinal Mortality Study, Public Use File (NMLS), which contains data on 370,930 individuals over the age of 24, 41,554 of whom are dead. Results suggest that men are more likely to die from all six examined causes of death. In addition, race appears to play a significant role in mortality and, by implication, access to quality health care. Income, however, only plays a role in mortality for those diseases where treatment and/or recovery may be lengthy and thus expensive.