Examining the Role of Various Causes of Death in Gain in Life Expectancy at Birth in India and Selected States

Bal Kishan Gulati, Indian Council of Medical Research, Ansari Nagar New Delhi-110029

Life expectancy is not only a summary measure of mortality but also an accepted indicator of development of a country. Life table measures gain in life expectancy after elimination of a cause of death and thus call attention to disease leading to more loss of people in society. The present study aims to examine the effect of partial and complete elimination of various causes of death on gain in life expectancy at birth in India and selected states by using secondary data of Medical Certification of Cause of Death (MCCD) for the years 2018 to 2020. Preliminary results show that female will gain 4 years more than male in life expectancy at birth after complete elimination of circulatory system diseases (females 25.37 years vs males 21.10 years) in Tamil Nadu. Gain in life expectancy signals the urgency for improving health infrastructure. These findings may have implications for practical decision making in setting up health goals, allocating resources for health policies, monitoring and evaluating health care programmes.

Keywords: Mortality and Longevity, Civil Registration and Vital Statistics, Data and Methods, Health and Morbidity

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