Cause-Contributions to Subnational Life Expectancy Sex Gaps: Evidence by Education Levels from Australia

Wen Su, Australian National University
Jenny Welsh, Australian National University
Rosemary J Korda, Australian National University
Vladimir Canudas-Romo, Australian National University

Life expectancy sex gap is a vital indicator comparing mortality difference between females and males, calculated as the difference between respective life expectancies. While an abundance of studies focuses on national-level comparisons, few examine the life expectancy sex gap across different subpopulations. Subpopulations vary in their mortality and health profiles due to underlying structural factors related to socioeconomic status. Insufficient evidence exists to determine whether socioeconomic inequality extends to life expectancy sex gaps among subpopulations stratified by education level. Using whole-of-population linkage data from Australia during 2016-2019, we quantify the life expectancy sex gap by education level. We also disaggregate the life expectancy sex gap into contributions from causes of death to gauge the influencing factors. We highlight a gradient in the life expectancy sex gap, with the university-educated population experiencing a smaller gap than their peers with lower education. We observed a large difference in contributions towards life expectancy sex gaps from external causes across education levels. Meanwhile, a pronounced portion of the difference is attributable to a combination of cardiovascular diseases, cancers, and respiratory diseases, particularly among individuals aged 60 to 85. We also note a disadvantage for females at ages 25-60 from breast and gynaecologic cancers.

Keywords: Decomposition analysis, Linked data sets , Mortality and Longevity

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