Research Summary: Spatial Epidemiology of Mortality Disparities - A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Life Expectancy Determinants Across Hong Kong Administrative Districts
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This study examines spatial disparities in life expectancy across Hong Kong's 18 districts and their relationship with social determinants of health. Analysis of 2021 data reveal significant variations in life expectancy at birth (LEB), with a 2.67-year gap for males and 1.6-year gap for females between highest and lowest districts. Age-standardized mortality rates (ASMR) show even more pronounced differences, with rates in Yau Tsim Mong (453.12 per 100,000) more than double those in Sham Shui Po (188.18 per 100,000).
While socioeconomic factors generally correlate with health outcomes, the relationship is not strictly linear. Districts with high ethnic diversity show varied health patterns: affluent diverse areas maintain favourable outcomes despite distinctive demographic structures, while Yau Tsim Mong presents concerning mortality trends across multiple causes despite moderate poverty rates. Environmental factors, particularly air pollution concentration due to urban morphology and traffic density, appear to significantly impact health outcomes in specific districts.
The findings demonstrate that health disparities in Hong Kong reflect complex interactions between socioeconomic status and migration patterns. This research provides evidence for developing targeted, district-specific public health interventions to address these inequities and advance health equity goals aligned with the Sustainable Development agenda.
Claudia Chen Sun
(She/Her)
Student, The University of Hong Kong
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