How education levels relate to city death rates across early 20th‑century America.
This study analyzes how illiteracy, race, and city size relate to death rates in large U.S. cities.
The author looks at 461 cities with populations over 10,000 and uses correlation methods to explore which factors align with higher or lower death rates from various causes. The work emphasizes careful interpretation, noting that correlation does not prove causation and that some relationships shift when other factors are held constant.
- How the share of illiterates correlates with overall death rates and with specific causes of death.
- Which diseases show a stronger link to illiteracy, and how population size and race influence those links.
- Where the data suggest potential public health priorities for education and urban health efforts.
- Why the results require cautious interpretation and what this means for applying statistics to health policy.
Ideal for readers of public health history, urban statistics, and early demographic research who want a grounded look at how education and city dynamics intersect with mortality.