Trends in U.S. life expectancy gradients: the role of changing educational composition.

ABSTRACT:

Background

I examined age patterns and the role of shifting educational distributions in driving trends in educational gradients in life expectancy among non-Hispanic Whites between 1991 and 2005.

Methods

Data were from the 1986-2004 National Health Interview Survey with mortality follow-up through 2006. Life expectancies were computed by sex, period and education. Age decompositions of life expectancy gradients and composition-adjusted life expectancies were computed to account for age patterns and shifting educational distributions.

Results

Life expectancy at age 25 among White men increased for all education groups, decreased among the least-educated White women and increased among White women with college degrees. Much of the decline in measured life expectancy fo

SUBMITTER: Hendi AS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4607744 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature