Silva-Illanes, N. (2024) Trends in socioeconomic inequalities in life expectancy and lifespan variation in Chile. Frontiers in Public Health, 12. 1404410. ISSN 2296-2565
Abstract
Background: Socioeconomic disparities in life expectancy are well-documented in various contexts, including Chile. However, there is a lack of research examining trends in life expectancy inequalities and lifespan variation over time. Addressing these gaps can provide crucial insights into the dynamics of health inequalities.
Methods: This study utilizes data from census records, population surveys, and death certificates to compare the life expectancy and the lifespan variation at age 26 of individuals according to their rank in the distribution of years of education within their own birth cohort. The analysis spans three periods (1991, 2002, and 2017) and focuses on two educational groups: individuals in the first (lowest) quintile and tenth (highest) decile of educational attainment. Changes in life expectancy are disaggregated by major causes of death to elucidate their contributions to overall trends.
Results: Consistent with existing literature, our findings confirm that individuals with lower education levels experience lower life expectancy and higher lifespan variation compared to their more educated counterparts. Notably, by 2017, life expectancy for individuals in the lowest quintile of education has caught up with that of the top decile in 1991, albeit with contrasting trends between genders. Among women, the gap has reduced, while it has increased for males. Moreover, lifespan variation decreased (increased) over time for individuals in the tenth decile (first quintile). The leading causes of death that explain the increase in life expectancy in women and men in the tenth decile as well as women in the first quintile are cardiovascular, cancer, respiratory and digestive diseases. In the case of males in the first quintile, few gains have been made in life expectancy resulting from cancer and a negative contribution is associated with digestive conditions.
Conclusions: This study underscores persistent socioeconomic disparities in life expectancy in Chile, emphasizing the importance of ongoing monitoring of health inequalities across different demographic segments. The gender-specific and educational gradient trends highlight areas for targeted interventions aimed at reducing health disparities and improving overall population health outcomes. Further research is warranted to delve into specific causes of death driving life expectancy differentials and to inform evidence-based policy interventions.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2024 Silva-Illanes. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms. |
Keywords: | life expectancy; health inequalities; mortality; time trends; lifespan variation |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health (Sheffield) > School of Medicine and Population Health |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number Wellcome Trust 108903/B/15/Z |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 17 Jul 2024 08:54 |
Last Modified: | 17 Jul 2024 08:54 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Frontiers Media SA |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1404410 |
Related URLs: | |
Sustainable Development Goals: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:214812 |