Local modelling of U.S. mortality rates: A multiscale geographically weighted regression approach

Abstract This work provides an investigation of the presence of spatial variability in the determinants of mortality rates. Specifically, by using the age‐adjusted mortality rates of the counties of the contiguous United States, this research applies a multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) approach to examine the spatial variations in the relationships between mortality rates and a diverse group of associated determinants. The results demonstrate that the MGWR approach produces a differentiable account of the global, regional, and local effects acting on mortality rates across the United States. Thus, this work lays the groundwork for the consideration of spatial varying effects on mortality rates, which operate at different spatial scales.