Abstract
This study was aimed at assessing the mortality differential according to demographic, socio-economic
and health status among the Thai elderly (aged 60 years and older) during the period 2004 and
2006. The data used were from the National Health Examination Survey III, 2004 (NHES III) and death
registry between 2004 and 2006. Area of residence, geographical area, marital status, education, house-hold income, dependence on daily activities of living and cardiovascular risk factors
were selected as demo-socioeconomic and health status indicators. The standardized
mortality ratio (SMR) was used to measure old-age mortality according to these indicators,
disaggrageted by sex.
It was found that mortality differences existed in almost all demo-socioeconomic
and health status indicators of the Thai elderly, except area of residence. Male and female
elderly people who lived in northeastern and northern Thailand had higher mortality,
while those who lived in the southern part of the country and Bangkok had lower
mortality than those who lived in the central region. Furthermore, the elderly who had
always been married, widowed, divorced or separated had higher mortality than those
who had always been single. The dependent elderly or those with cardiovascular (CV)
risk factors had higher mortality than those who were not dependent or who did not
have CV risk factors. These mortality differences could reflect health inequality among
different groups of the Thai population.
