Decomposition analysis of Spanish life expectancy at birth

Abstract

Using data from the Human Mortality Database (HMD), the paper analyzes the increase in the life expectancy of the Spanish population during the three decades, 1970-2001, in order to ascertain which age and sex groups have made the most progress in terms of increasing life expectancy. Within the theoretical context of Health Transition, the authors provide a brief description of the Spanish mortality during the XXth century across several indexes. The study uses a decomposition technique to separate changes in Spanish life expectancy at birth (e0) into age, sex, and time components. The most important components of change are found in the elderly, in young people, and in the evolution to sex differences in human mortality.decomposition, health, health transition, Human Mortality Database, life expectancy, mortality, mortality trends, Spain