Global trends in lifespan inequality: 1950-2015

Area of Science:

• Demography
• Public Health
• Gerontology

Background:

• Global life expectancy has increased significantly since 1950.
• Understanding lifespan inequality is crucial for public health and policy.
• Previous research has focused on average longevity rather than its distribution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze global trends in lifespan inequality from 1950 to 2015.
• To investigate changes in lifespan variability across different age groups.
• To identify factors contributing to global age-at-death variations.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the UN World Population Prospects.
• Conducted trend analysis of lifespan inequality metrics.
• Examined within-country and between-country variability in age-at-death.

Main Results:

• Overall lifespan inequality has steadily decreased globally.
• Adult lifespan variability has declined, with some exceptions.
• Lifespan inequality among the elderly has increased globally, especially in high-income regions.
• Within-country variability accounts for most global age-at-death variation.

Conclusions:

• Despite declining overall lifespan inequality, rising inequality among the elderly presents a new global health challenge.
• Increasing longevity necessitates recognizing the heterogeneity of aging populations.
• Health planners must address the diverging trends in longevity and age-at-death inequality for older adults.