How much of the variation in mortality across Norwegian municipalities is explained by the socio-demographic characteristics of the population?

The goal was to find out whether much of the variation in mortality between the 430 Norwegian municipalities could be attributed to socio-demographic characteristics of the population - operating through individual- or aggregate-level mechanisms. Two-level discrete-time hazard models were estimated for women and men at age 60-89 in 2000-2008, using registers covering the entire population. Year, age and a municipality-level random term were included in the first step. When socio-demographic characteristics of the individual and others in the municipality were added, the variance of the random term was reduced by 73-80% almost exclusively because of aggregate-level effects. Policy implications of these findings are discussed.