”Mortality before age 75 has increased in certain income groups”
Health disparities between the rich and the poor are growing in Sweden, despite half a century of political efforts to reduce inequality. This is shown in a study co-authored by Mårten Palme, Professor of Economics at Stockholm University.
Threefold increase in life expectancy gap since the 1960s
According to the researchers behind the study, the gap in life expectancy between those with the lowest and highest incomes has tripled since the 1960s. Based on data from the period 1962 to 2021, the study shows that income has become an increasingly important factor in how long we live. For men, the life expectancy gap has grown from about 3.5 years to nearly eleven. For women, it has increased from 3.8 to 8.6 years.
A key conclusion is that economic equality does not automatically lead to health equality. The research thus challenges the traditional view that rising incomes alone improve public health.
”Our study shows that mortality differences before age 75 between income groups have increased particularly for causes of death that could have been prevented through preventive measures. For example, through better diet, reduced smoking, and physical activity,” says Mårten Palme.
High-income groups quicker to adopt lifestyle changes
The research also indicates that high-income groups have not only had better material conditions but have also been quicker to change their lifestyles as new health knowledge has become available.
During the 1960s and 70s, smoking and alcohol consumption were more common among high-income earners, but these patterns have shifted over time. Today, smoking is more prevalent in lower-income groups, reflecting how different social groups absorb public health information.
More about the study
The study, The rising income gradient in life expectancy in Sweden over six decades, is published in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
PNAS was established in 1914 and is one of the world’s most cited scientific journals, publishing over 3,500 research articles annually across multiple disciplines.
Authors to the study are Mårten Palme, Stockholm University; Johannes Hagen, Jönköping International Business School, Jönköping University; Lisa Laun, IFAU; and Charlotte Lucke, former PhD student in economics at Stockholm University.
Last updated: April 23, 2025
Source: Department of Economics