Abstract |
Life tables were constructed for the 14 economic regions of Indiana in census years 1950 and 1970. Dependent variables were the following life table functions: infant mortality, expectation of life at birth, and expectation of life at age 65. Independent variables were urban population and the measures of medical care; physicians, hospital beds, patients admitted, patient days, occupancy rate for hospitals, and usage rate for hospitals. In 1950 there were urban-rural differences. However, it is significant that mortality is lower and expectation of life higher in the more rural economic regions. There were no urban-rural differences in 1960 or 1970, yet the variation in mortality and expectation of life among the economic regions increases. There is greater variation among the regions in 1970 than in 1950. Among the economic regions the larger the quantities of the four medical care variables the higher is mortality and the lower is expectation of life. |