Exploration of Geographical Environmental Factors Influencing Regional Population Mortality Patterns in China

Objectives

The regional population mortality patterns in China exhibit substantial geographical distribution characteristics. This paper aims to explore the impact and mechanisms of geographical environmental factors on regional population mortality patterns.

Methods

This study first utilized the data from China's Seventh Population Census to obtain mortality patterns for the 31 provincial-level administrative regions. Subsequently, a functional regression method was employed to explore the geographical environmental driving factors of regional mortality patterns.

Results

The study provides a detailed explanation of the mechanisms and marginal contributions of key geographical environmental factors at different age groups.

Conclusions

(1) The impact of geographical environmental factors on mortality patterns shows distinct phased characteristics. Mortality patterns before the age of 40 years are hardly influenced by geographical environmental factors, with a noticeable impact beginning at ages 40–69 years and reaching the maximum influence after the age of 70 years. (2) In mortality patterns at ages 40–69 years, average altitude have the most substantial impact, followed by extreme low-temperature days and PM2.5 concentration. In mortality patterns at ages 70–94 years, high-temperature days have the greatest influence, followed by the impact of SO₂ concentration. (3) In comparisons based on gender, socioeconomic factors, and geographical environmental factors, gender and urban–rural differences have the most significant impact on regional population mortality patterns, followed by the influence of other socioeconomic factors, with geographical environmental factors having a relatively smaller impact.