Global Mortality Gaps Narrow, but Within-Country Inequalities Persist

The paper reviews trends in mortality inequalities between countries and among socioeconomic groups within countries. It reports that mortality improved in most countries after 1950, with notable setbacks in parts of Sub-Saharan Africa during the 1980s and 1990s, the former USSR after rapid adoption of neoliberal economic policies, European countries implementing austerity in the 2010s, and globally during the COVID-19 period.

The gap between the best and worst thirds of countries narrowed from 20.5 years for males and 22.6 years for females in 2000 to 15.6 and 16.0 years, respectively, in 2021. Within-country trends were mixed: in many high-income countries, absolute mortality inequalities improved from the 1990s to the early 2010s, while relative inequalities widened. The authors note sparse data and problems with measurement and comparability, limiting cross-country comparisons. They highlight political and socioeconomic determinants, alongside climate change and social polarization, as challenges for future health equity efforts.