Inequalities in Covid-19 Mortality in Belgium by Socio-Economic Status and by Nationality of Origin

Patrick Deboosere , Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Inequalities in COVID-19 Mortality in Belgium by Socio-economic Status and by Nationality of Origin Patrick Deboosere, Sylvie Gadeyne & Laura Van den Borre Interface Demography – Vrije Universiteit Brussel We analyzed inequalities in COVID-19 mortality by socio-economic status and by nationality or origin. We used individual data from the Belgian population register linked to mortality and cause-specific mortality. The register data have been enriched with data from the 2011 census and by information from the tax registers. The Belgian population on 1/1/2020 in the National Register counted 11.492.625 persons and we did have information on income based on the tax declarations from 2011 to 2017. Information on educational level, work status, housing, etc. is based on the administrative census of 2011 (11.000.638 persons) Cause specific mortality for 126.850 deaths in 2020 was based on the death certificates linked with the population data. Analyses have been limited to the population aged 35 and older. There was a clear socio-economic gradient in COVID-19 mortality that was even more explicit than the gradient in overall mortality. We were not all in the same boat, but as adequately pointed out we have been in the same storm, but in different boats. Inequality in COVID-19 mortality appears to be bigger than inequality in overall mortality.

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 Presented in Session 69. Mortality Inequalities during the COVID-19 pandemic