The specific characteristic of our study is the analysis of the role of these determinants regarding gender differences in the context of the population of western and eastern European societies. We investigate the impact of 17 potential health determinants on seven health outcomes as well as mortality over a time of 13 years (West Germany) and seven years (East Germany), respectively. The eastern and western Germany populations provide the unique possibility to study the effects of eastern and western European backgrounds in one population. The two pre-reunification German regions were characterised by a demographic composition and demographic conditions that were.
