Relative inequalities in Total mortality by level of education among men and women in selected countries (source: Eurothine, 2007 )

The Relative Index of Inequality (RII) can be interpreted as the ratio between the rate of mortality in the lowest educational group and the rate of mortality in the highest educational group.

The figures above show that the RII is higher than 1 in all selected countries, for both men and women, indicating that mortality is always higher in the lowest as compared to the highest educational group.

The classification of the educational groups used in the figure above is adapted from the ISCED. Data apply to the 1990s and the early 2000s.

Abbreviations: FIN: Finland, SWE: Sweden, NOR: Norway, DEN: Denmark, ENG: England, BEL: Belgium, SWZ: Switzerland, FRA: France, TUR: Turin, MAD: Madrid, BSQ: Basque region, SLO: Slovenia, HUN: Hungary: CZR: Czech Republic, POL: Poland, LIT: Lithuania, EST: Estonia.