Inequality in Life Expectancy Losses by Education in Finland during Covid-19 Pandemic

Dmitri A. Jdanov, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research / National Research University Higher School of Economics
Domantas Jasilionis, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research / Vytautas Magnus University
Lasse Tarkiainen, University of Helsinki
Pekka Martikainen, University of Helsinki

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a rapid increase in mortality in most societies examined. Previous literature has established that the effects of the pandemic have varied considerably. It has been demonstrated that there are clear socioeconomic differentials, with increases in mortality being higher in lower socioeconomic groups. However, the evidence for these effects is somewhat patchier, documented in a few countries, and often only covers the first 1-2 years of the epidemic. We aim to estimate life expectancy losses in Finland in 2020-22 by education groups. We found that life expectancy losses considerably vary by year, sex, and education group. The most affected group in 20202 was males with intermediate education (life expectancy losses 0.4 years). Higher-educated males lost 0.4 years, the corresponding loss among the lowest-educated males was only 0.2 years. In 2021, the most affected group was males and females with basic education (0.7 and 0.6 years). In 2022, life expectancy losses were 0.9, 1.0, and 1.2 for females with high, intermediate, and basic education respectively, and 0.1, 1.0, and 1.1 years for the same groups for males. These trends in life expectancy losses contributed to widening disparities in life expectancy during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Keywords: Mortality and Longevity, Decomposition analysis

See paper.