| Resumo: | The results presented here dispute the assertion that "in Mexico structural change in mortality due to causes is immerse in an epidemiological transition process." When death is the result of morbid processes that could have been avoided or at least kept from producing fatal consequences -through socioeconomic measures, health care, and medical knowledge and technology- it is clear that there exists a structural determination that does not allow large population sectors to acquire "modern epidemiological profiles."This study forms part of research project on the health-disease-death process along the Northern Frontier -a by-product of the socioeconomic structure of a specific social formation that determines disease and death- to support regional and sectorial design of policies and actions for the improvement of health conditions for its population.Data was obtained from National Institute of Statistics, Geography, and Information (INEGI) and DGE-SSA (Public Health Mi- nistry) yearly death registers of Baja California, Coahuila, Chihuahua, Sonora, and Tamaulipas, from 1979 to 1991. Deaths were adjusted according to the Preston-Coale procedure and life tables were built for 1980 and 1990. Contributions of groups of avoidable causes to life expectancy gains during this period, by sex and age, were obtained according to the Pollard procedure.An important finding is a 4.1 year increase of life expectancy due, among other causes, to a slight decrease in avoidable death causes, although these still produce about 50% of deaths. Contrary to expectations, males decreased by .4 years the difference in life expectancy in relation to the females (6.2 years in 1990). Excessive male mortality is still due to avoidable causes, since accidents and violence contribute highly to death rates, mainly in Baja California and Chihuahua.In relation to vital statistics a 29% under-estimation in child death rate was found for 1990. Finally, it was possible to define some highrisk groups which should become priority if we hope life expectancy to increase again.
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