Change in Age-Cause Structure of Educational Differences in Life Expectancy at Old Ages in Sweden and Finland

Virginia Zarulli, Università di Roma "La Sapienza"
Domantas Jasilionis, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research
Dmitri A. Jdanov, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research

The study focuses on the gap in life expectancy between high and low education groups at old ages in Finland and Sweden. Using high quality census-linked data and methods of decomposition we examine the changes in age- and cause-specific contributions to the total life expectancy gap at age 65 between 1971-1975 and 1996-2000. We found that despite strong egalitarian policies the gap has increased in both countries. The patterns of age- and cause-specific contributions have also changed in time. Even though the two countries show some important differences in these patterns, the study indicates several common features. The importance of mortality differences at the most advanced ages (above 80) increased in both countries, especially among females. Heart diseases made the biggest contributions to the difference in both 1971-1975 and 1996-2000 but the role of other causes of death (such as neoplasms and other cardiovascular diseases) increased in 1996-2000.