Background: Measures of segregation are essential tools for
evaluation of social equality. They describe complex structural
patterns by single quantities and allow the comparison of inequalities
over time or between residential places. In many countries, patterns
of residential segregation are well described (e.g., South Africa,
Great Britain, United States of America). In this study, for the
first time in Iran, we measured residential segregation for some
socioeconomic and health variables and described their pair wise
correlation.
Methods: We measured evenness dimension of segregation
by generalized dissimilarity segregation index and information
theory index and its ordinal equivalent for some determinants
of socioeconomic status and health variables using data of last
national census in Iran. Segregation indices were computed for
31 socioeconomic variables and four health indices.
Results: All the provinces were in the category of low segregation
for individual and family disability and death of at least one
offspring of mother, but for infant mortality half of the provinces
were moderately or highly segregated. For some of socioeconomic
variables, many provinces were in the category of moderate, high,
or extreme segregation. There was significant correlation between
segregation of heath indices and some socioeconomic variables.
Conclusions: Correlation of segregation of determinants of
socioeconomic status with segregation of health indices is an
indicator of existence of hot zones of health problems across
some provinces. Further studies using multilevel modeling
and individual data in health outcomes at individual level and
segregation measures at appropriate geographic levels are required
to confirm these relations.