[Temporal changes in life expectancy by gender and socioeconomic position, Rome 1991-2005 ]

this study evaluates changes in life expectancy at birth and at 65 years of residents in Rome between 1991 and 2005 by gender and socioeconomic position (SEP).

epidemiologic study based on mortality data from the Regional Registry of Causes of Death (ReNCaM). We analysed 365,714 deaths occurred among residents in Rome from 1991 to 2005.

we estimated the life expectancy at birth and at 65 years, measured by the mortality tables by gender for five triennial observation periods from 1991 to 2005. We attributed a small area socioeconomic position index to each subject, computed for census block, based on data of 2001 census of population.

life expectancy at birth and at 65 years between 1991 and 2005 has been increasing for all SEP, especially in males (2.5 years at birth, 1.3 at 65 years) but also in females (1 year at birth, less than 6 months at 65 years). There was a gap between upper and lower SEP (3.5 years in males and 1.5 years in females) and the gap has been slightly increasing in males.

the life expectancy at birth in Rome, between 1991 and 2005, improved overall, especially in males, reducing the gender gap. However, there were strong socioeconomic differences, especially in males among whom the gap is slightly widening.