Urban-rural lifespan disparities and cause-deleted analysis: evidence from China

To examine the length and dispersion level of lifespan for the subnational populations in China, identify the urban-rural gap and sex differences, and analyse the contribution made by causes of death.

Cause-specific mortality data extracted from the Chinese Disease Surveillance Points system, grouped by sex and urban/rural residence.

Life expectancy and lifespan disparity are used to measure the length and dispersion level of lifespan, respectively. Cause-specific contributions are obtained by contrasting cause-deleted life expectancy and lifespan disparities with observed values.

Aggregated national data gathered from over 605 surveillance points across China, covering over 264 million people by 2016 (about 19.14% of the total Chinese population).

In the decade under observation, all subpopulations in China, by area and sex, experienced increases in life expectancy and decreases in lifespan disparity, while causes of deaths contributed differently. For example, based on the 2016 data, if cardiovascular diseases were deleted, there would be an increase in life expectancy that ranges from 5.59 years for urban males to 6.69 years for rural females. However, also lifespan disparity would increase, ranging from 0.81 years for urban females to 1.37 years for rural males.

In China, the urban-rural gaps in both life expectancy and lifespan disparity are shrinking as the rural residents are catching up fast, while the gender gaps remain large, and even widening. Causes of death with different age distribution patterns contribute differently to the level and direction of the urban-rural and sex differentials in life expectancy and lifespan disparity. Sex differentials were observed in cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, lung and liver cancers, and external causes, while urban-rural differences were found in lung and breast cancers, and external causes.