Inequalities in health in Europe

doi:10.1136/bmj.322.7289.798/a

BMJ 2001;322:798 ( 31 March )

Letters

Inequalities in health in Europe

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EDITOR $---$ Marmot and Bobak analysed the increased inequalities in health in eastern Europe.¹ Cervical cancer is an avoidablecause of death and a relevant indicator of women's health. Nationaldeath certification data do not allow analysis of mortality fromcervical cancer in Europe since 20-65% of deaths from uterinecancers are certified reliably as uterus, unspecified.² Mostdeaths from uterine cancer in women aged under 45 arise from thecervix.

We analysed age standardised death certification rates from uterine cancer in women aged 20-44 in the 15 countries of theEuropean Union and in six eastern European countries providingreliable data to the World Health Organization's database for1960-97.² In the European Union death rates declined from 5.6/100000 in 1960-4 to 2.0/100 000 in 1995-7. In contrast, after a fallfrom 8.9 to 5.5/100 000 between 1960-4 and 1975-9, death ratesfrom all uterine cancers in eastern Europe rose to 6.8 in 1995-7(figure). Thus in recent years the . . . [Full text of this article]