Jeralynn Sittig Cossman ^1*, Ronald E. Cossman ¹, Wesley L. James ¹, Carol R. Campbell ¹, Troy C. Blanchard ², Arthur G. Cosby ¹

¹ Mississippi State University
² Mississippi

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: lynne.cossman{at}ssrc.msstate.edu.

	Abstract

We explored how locale shapes mortality by examining 35 consecutive years of 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 outmigration, had economic decline, and were predominantly rural. These mortality patterns have important implications for proper research model specification and for health resource allocation policies.

Key Words: Geography, Social Science, Mortality, Surveillance