Mortality Before AIDS: a Review of Causes of Death in Young men in the City of Edinburgh (1979-88)

Mortality in young Edinburgh males, age 20-34 years, was analyzed for the period 1979-88. Proportional mortality indicated that 15% of deaths suicides. Death rates were significantly higher in sectors of low socioeconomic status. Mortality patterns are compared to those in New York City. The death rate (all causes) for males, age 20-29, in New York was 289.36 per 100,000; three times the Edinburgh rate of 93.02. New York had higher rates of homicide, suicide, drug-related deaths, & AIDS.