Regional variations of mortality in Norway

Abstract

Marked differences in mortality between different parts of the country and between urban and rural areas have been observed back to the middle of last century. A levelling‑out of variations took place as an aspect of the rapid reduction of mortality during the first half of this century. The northeasternmost part of the country, however, still stands out as a region of relatively high mortality. Particularly low levels of mortality are found in the predominantly rural parts of East, South and West Norway, but with increasing proportion of urban population the difference between these regions on one hand and Trondelag, Nordland and South and Central Troms on the other get blurred.

In the last decades, the degree of urbanization again tends to make for higher mortality. The excess mortality of strongly urbanized districts corresponds rather closely to excess deaths among middle‑aged men, mainly caused by heart diseases and cancer. The relationship between modern urban environment and the main features of Norway's geography of death must therefore be regarded as well established, although direct causes are not easily identified and measured.