Gains in Healthy Life Expectancy and Healthy Lifespan Variation in Past 25 Years (1995 to 2020) among Men and Women of India

Mayanka Ambade, Indian Institute of Technology, Mandi
Avnish Pal, Indian Institute of Technology Mandi
Shalem Balla, Indian Institute of Technology, Mandi

This study investigates the trends in life expectancy, healthy life expectancy, lifespan variation, and healthy lifespan variation in India from 1995 to 2020 using data from the Sample Registration System and the Global Burden of Disease study. Variations in life expectancy and healthy life expectancy are measured using Gini coefficient and Coefficient of variation. The analysis reveals that both life expectancy and healthy life expectancy have significantly improved for both genders, with females consistently exhibiting higher values. However, while the absolute gains in life expectancy are greater for females, the relative gains in healthy life expectancy are higher among males. Lifespan variation has declined considerably, particularly among females, indicating a convergence in age at death. Notably, lifespan variation increases sharply around middle age (40-45 years), doubling for men and increasing by 70% for women, with similar trends observed at older ages (66-70 years). In terms of healthy lifespan variation, the differences between genders were minimal in 2021, showing a slight decline with age. However, morbidity onset remains more varied compared to age at death, indicating a continued heterogeneity in health outcomes. While mortality is becoming more predictable, morbidity has variation; with age and gender specific patterns in age at onset.

Keywords: Mortality and Longevity, Inequality, Disadvantage and Discrimination

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