Age-Specific Contributions to Changes in the Period and Cohort Life Expectancy

Vladimir Canudas-Romo, Pennsylvania State University
Robert Schoen, Pennsylvania State University

The period life expectancy has lagged behind its cohort counterpart. To understand the disparity between the two measures we identify and compare the age-specific contributions to change in the two life expectancies. Using mortality models, we examine the effect of mortality changes over time. Finally, we apply our approach to historical data for Sweden. Preliminary results indicate a widening of the gap between the two life expectancies as a consequence of the dramatic mortality decline that occurred during the twentieth century. These first results also show that the divergence between the two measures is likely to become even greater in the future.