Investigating the Provincial Differences in Life Expectancy in Iran: A Case Study of Gilan and Sistan and Baluchestan Provinces

In populations in their final stage of mortality transition, one of the most important questions is the level of the geographical inequality in the life expectancy index. To investigate these inequalities in Iran, the role of age groups and causes of death in increasing life expectancy at birth in the province of Gilan compared to Sistan and Baluchestan were analyzed using the modified data of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education and Arriaga decomposition method,. The results showed that infant mortality with a rate of about 1.3 years in both sexes had the greatest impact on the difference in life expectancy at birth in the two provinces. In addition, cardiovascular diseases in women and unintentional accidents in men with  a rate of about 3 years and 1.8 years, respectively, are the most important cause of increased life expectancy at birth in Gilan compared to Sistan and Baluchestan (due to a younger pattern of mortality due to this disease in Sistan and Baluchestan). The results show that despite the transition of mortality throughout Iran, there are still significant inequalities in the mortality of the considered provinces in Iran and this has placed them in different stages of mortality, epidemiological and health transition. A fair distribution of development facilities at the geographical level can reduce these gaps and increase life expectancy in Iran as a whole.