Life expectancy and mortality differences between populations on Croatian islands and the mainland

To examine the differences in life expectancy and mortality between the populations on Croatian islands and the mainland, and among the islands themselves.

Data on population size and mortality collected in Croatia in 2001 were analyzed by life table and standardized mortality rates.

Life expectancy at birth (95% confidence interval) of the population on Croatian islands was 76.4 yr (75.7-77.1) which was significantly higher than life expectancy at birth of general Croatian population which was 73.8 yr (73.5-73.9) or mainland Croatian population which was 73.7 yr (73.6-73.8). Island population had higher life expectancy until the age of 80 and again in the oldest age group, 95+. More than 10% of inhabited islands in Croatia had life expectancy at birth over 80 years. Two inhabited islands, Ilovik (Kvarner islands) and Lopud (South Dalmatian islands), had one of the highest life expectancy at birth recorded in the literature, with 95.0 and 90.6 years respectively. Mortality rates on islands were significantly lower for age groups 50-64 and 65-79 years, and this difference persisted for all island groups compared with general Croatian population.

Residents of Croatian islands had a higher life expectancy than general or mainland Croatian population. Life expectancy at birth on Croatian islands was lower than in other European Mediterranean countries, but it resembles that in the neighboring Slovenia, and it is considerably higher than in central and eastern Europe and Balkan countries.