Compression of mortality: the evolution in the variability in the age of death in Latin America

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate the evolution of the mortality age profile and the distribution of age at death in a series of Latin America countries. Latin America presents an interesting case study because of the peculiarities of epidemiological and health transitions. We use data from different and alternative sources to investigate the compression of mortality in Latin America. We concentrated our analysis in three main points. First, we evaluate the quality of data that underlie national-level mortality overtime in LAC countries. Second, we estimated an adequate age pattern of mortality for Latin America. Third, we analyze the evolution of the distribution of deaths over age and time in order to identify the effects of changes on the variability of age at death. The results indicate that the quality of mortality data is improving over time for all countries included in this study. We also find a reduction in variability of age at death, and that the reduction was faster for females than males.

Regional Disparities in Brazilian Adult Mortality: an analysis using Modal Age at Death (M) and Compression of Mortality (IQR)

“…First, we adjusted mortality levels to the degree of completeness of death counts registration (QUEIROZ et al, 2017;HILL et al, 2009). …”

“…SEG-adj is a Death Distribution Method (DDM) proposed by Hill et al (2009) that combines the Growth Balance Method (Hill 1987) and the Synthetic Extinct Cohort (SEG), developed by Bennett and Horiuchi (1981). The authors construct the age distribution of the population based on the number of deaths and the age specific growth rate (QUEIROZ et al 2017;HILL et al 2009). The procedure is based on the knowledge that the number of people in age x is equal to the observed number of deaths above age x, adjusted by the age specific growth (QUEIROZ et al 2017;HILL et al 2009).…”

“…The authors construct the age distribution of the population based on the number of deaths and the age specific growth rate (QUEIROZ et al 2017;HILL et al 2009). The procedure is based on the knowledge that the number of people in age x is equal to the observed number of deaths above age x, adjusted by the age specific growth (QUEIROZ et al 2017;HILL et al 2009). In that sense, the number of deaths above x age combined with the specific growth rate provide an estimate of the population at age x.…”

“…In the developing context, however, we know little about those processes (GONZAGA & COSTA, 2016;GONZAGA et al 2017;WILMOTH et al, 2012).…”

“…Given that there are few studies on regional variations in Brazil with respect to the rectangularization of the survival curve and the compression of mortality, the present work aims to shed light on these topics at the subnational level. Gonzaga, Queiroz, and Lima (2017) estimated IQR and C-50 for a series of Latin American countries; they show a rapid process of the compression of mortality for females, reduction of the IQR, and a stagnation for males, mainly due to the increase in external causes of deaths in recent years. Gonzaga et al (2009) analyzed the variability in age at death in the state of São Paulo and observed two distinct periods, one with increase in the variability (1980)(1981)(1982)(1983)(1984)(1985)(1986)(1987)(1988)(1989)(1990)(1991)(1992)(1993)(1994)(1995) and one marked by decrease in variability (1995)(1996)(1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005).…”