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This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: AJPH.2006.093112v1 AJPH.2006.093112v2 97/12/2148    most recent Submit a response Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Cossman, J. S. Articles by Cosby, A. G. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Cossman, J. S. Articles by Cosby, A. G. Related Collections Community Health Geography Social Science Mortality

Jeralynn Sittig Cossman, PhD, Ronald E. Cossman, PhD, Wesley L. James, MS, Carol R. Campbell, MS, Troy C. Blanchard, PhD and Arthur G. Cosby, PhD

At the time of the study, the authors were with the Social Science Research Center, Mississippi State University.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Jeralynn Sittig Cossman, PhD, Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work, PO Box C, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762 (e-mail: lynne.cossman{at}msstate.edu).

We explored how place shapes mortality by examining 35 consecutive years of US mortality data. Mapping age-adjusted county mortality rates showed both persistent temporal and spatial clustering of high and low mortality rates. Counties with high mortality rates and counties with low mortality rates both experienced younger population out-migration, had economic decline, and were predominantly rural. These mortality patterns have important implications for proper research model specification and for health resource allocation policies.