Inequalities in length of life are the most fundamental of inequalities, as all other inequalities are conditional on being alive. Mortality inequalities are socially patterned, observed in all societies, and growing. Despite considerable contributions by many previous studies, there are major shortcomings in our understanding of the causes of social inequalities in health and mortality. In particular:
The Max Planck – University of Helsinki Center goes beyond standard observational research by using exceptionally detailed linked family-based data, natural experimental designs, genetically-informed social epidemiological data, and advanced dynamic modelling techniques that enable us to unearth the pivotal social processes that generate health inequalities. Our findings will be ground-breaking as they respond to the four major shortcomings of existing research by elucidating from the root causes of social inequalities in health. The research will be highly innovative and will establish how social family constellations and genetic factors are intertwined with individual social characteristics and how they produce health inequalities, how they drive long-term change in these inequalities, and how they manifest themselves differentially in different macro-level social conditions.
The Center research agenda is based on four thematic pillars:
The need to better understand the root causes of health inequalities is more pertinent than ever. Social inequalities in health and mortality have grown and the unprecedented health and social consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic may hit the vulnerable the hardest, further exacerbating health gaps. Our results will advance scientific understanding of the drivers of health inequalities, and will help to devise policies to tackle these inequalities.
Pekka Martikainen is Director of the Population Research Unit (PRU) at the University of Helsinki, and Professor of Demography. He holds a PhD in Population Studies from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Current research interests include changes and causes of socioeconomic differences in cause-specific mortality, various issues relating to ageing populations, and he has been involved in cross-national comparisons of health inequalities.
Mikko Myrskylä is Director of the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR) and Professor of Social Data Science at the University of Helsinki. Prof. Myrskylä holds PhDs in Demography (University of Pennsylvania) and Statistics (University of Helsinki). His work focuses on population health, fertility dynamics, and demographic forecasting, and leverages large linked population registers, causal inference approaches, and formal demography.