Analyzing Longevity Trends in Europe
Author Information
Author(s): Lee Yeonjung, Tsui Iona, Yon Yongjie
Primary Institution: Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Hypothesis
Which age groups contribute the most to life expectancy gains?
Conclusion
Older age groups are increasingly contributing to life expectancy gains, especially in countries with higher life expectancy.
Supporting Evidence
- Average life expectancy gains were 5.08 years from 1999 to 2019.
- Life expectancy gains were 3.50 years from 1980 to 2000.
- Gains in life expectancy were driven by reduced mortality at older ages.
- Differences in life expectancy gains between men and women ranged from 3.05 to 10.43 years.
- The largest differences in life expectancy gains were found in Eastern European countries.
- More than half of the countries saw over 30% of life expectancy improvement coming from increased longevity after age 70.
Takeaway
As people live longer, it's important to know which age groups are living longer. This study found that older people are living longer and this is helping everyone live longer.
Methodology
The study used Arriaga’s life expectancy decomposition method to analyze life tables from 50 WHO European Region countries over two time periods.
Limitations
The study does not include all countries in the WHO European Region.
Participant Demographics
The study analyzed data from the total population of 50 out of 53 Member States of the WHO European Region.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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