Income distribution and life expectancy.

The relationship between income distribution and mortality is explored using data from published sources. Specifically the author attempts to investigate the cross sectional relation between income distribution and mortality and its possible interactions with gross national product per head and to assess whether changes in income distribution over time are related to changes in mortality in developed countries. He concludes that there is clear evidence of a strong relation between a societys income distribution and the average life expectancy of its population. (EXCERPT)