Abstract

Abstract Background. This study evaluated the relationship between income inequality and all‐cause mortality in the 100 counties of North Carolina. Methods. Mortality data for 1985 to 1994 came from the National Center for Health Statistics and household income data from the 1990 Census. Associations between county‐level income inequality and age‐adjusted, all‐cause mortality rates were evaluated in stratified and regression analyses. Results. Stratified analyses suggest that all‐cause mortality was directly related to income inequality in all 100 counties and in non‐metropolitan statistical area (MSA) counties. This relationship was statistically significant, controlling for per capita income in regression analyses for all age groups except ≥65 years among all 100 counties and for all ages combined and for ages 35 to 64 among non‐MSA counties. Conclusions. A relationship between income inequality and all‐cause mortality previously identified nationally among states and MSAs was also found among all counties and non‐MSA counties of North Carolina in 1985 to 1994.