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Life Tables

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Abstract

The discussion of issues concerned with mortality, survival and longevity form an introduction to the estimation of life tables. Assumptions underlying the life table in regard to constancy of age-specific mortality rates, total number of births, and the absence of migration are discussed. This is followed by a detailed description and computational methods of the estimation of columns in the life table concerned with survivorship, deaths, person-years lived and life expectancy, in complete and abridged life tables. Interpretation and graphic representation of different life table columns is included. Basic data required for the construction of both a complete and an abridged life table are discussed, highlighting the differences between these two types of period life tables. Alternative methods of the building of life tables are considered and results compared. Step by step estimation of each component in life tables is indicated and numerical examples given. Apart from demographic uses of life tables, applications in other fields such as insurance, epidemiology and other commercial and industrial activities are discussed.

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Appendices

Appendices

7.1.1 Appendix 7.1: Input Data for Life Tables

Table A7.1 Deaths, population, m x and q x by age and sex for Australia

7.1.2 Appendix 7.2: Complete Life Tables by Sex: Australia, 2005–2007

Table A7.2 Complete life table for Australian males, 2005–2007
Table A7.3 Complete life table for Australian females, 2005–2007

7.1.3 Appendix 7.3: Abridged Life Tables by Sex: Australia, 2005–2007

Table A7.4 Abridged life table for Australian males, 2005–2007
Table A7.5 Abridged life table for Australian females, 2005–2007

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© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.

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Yusuf, F., Martins, J.M., Swanson, D.A. (2014). Life Tables. In: Methods of Demographic Analysis. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6784-3_7

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