Life Tables

September 15

Life Table
A statistical model for measuring the
mortality (or any other type of exit)
experiences of a population, controlling for
age distributions

Types of Life Tables

Current/Period vs. Generation/Cohort

Complete vs. Abridged
Single vs. Multiple Decrement
Increment/Decrement Tables

Period Life Table Construction

Step 1: Solving for age-specific death
rates

mx nMx = nDx / nNx

Period Life Table Construction

Step 2: Decide on method for estimating
nax (average person-years lived in the
interval by those dying in the interval)

Direct observation
Graduation of the nmx function
Borrowing values
Rules of thumb

Period Life Table Construction

Step 3: Solve for nqx (probability of dying
in age interval)
q = n * nmx / 1 + (n nax) * nmx

n x

q = 1.00

85

Period Life Table Construction

Step 4: Solve for npx (probability of
surviving an age interval)
p = 1 - n qx

n x

p = 0.00

85

Period Life Table Construction

Step 5: Set radix (l0) and solve for number
alive at age x (lx).
lx+n = lx * npx

Period Life Table Construction

Step 6: Solve for deaths experienced in
each age interval (ndx)
d = lx lx+n

n x

Period Life Table Construction

Step 7: Solve for person years lived
between x and x+n (nLx)
L = n * lx+n + nax * ndx

n x

(open-ended interval: Lx = lx / mx)

Period Life Table Construction

Step 8: Solve for person years lived
above age x (nTx)
Tx = nLa

Period Life Table Construction

Step 9: Solve for life expectancy at age x
(e0x)
e0x = Tx / lx

Mortality Analysis with Life Tables

Expectation of life at birth

Expectation of life at age 1
Expectation of life at age 65
Probability of surviving from birth to the
65th birthday
Median age at death

The Life Table as a

Stationary Population
A population whose total number and
distribution by age do not change with
time
Conditions
Number of births per year remains constant
Each cohort of births experiences current observed
mortality rates throughout life
Net migration = 0; or closed to migration

The Life Table as

a Stationary Population
Interpretation of functions
lo
lx
ndx
nLx
Tx
e0x

Crude death rate

Crude birth rate

Age-Decomposing a Difference in
Life Expectancies
n

l 1x
l0

* (

L
lx

2
x
2

L
lx

The direct effect of a

change in mortality
rates between ages x
and x+n

x
1

xn
l 01

* (

l x1
l

2
x

l x1 n
l

2
xn

Indirect and
interaction effects
resulting from the
person years added
by additional
survivors in future
intervals
Remember: For the open-ended age
interval, there is only a direct effect

Other Uses for Life Tables

Nuptiality (first marriage)

Migration from place of birth
Entering the labor force
Becoming a mother
Subsequent childbearing
Marital survival
Unemployment spells
Incarceration