Relationship between Life Expectancy at birth for male and female, - PDF document

1 Gender gap in mortality in India and role of age groups: A comparison between before and after male – female Life Expectancy at Birth crossover GIRIMALLIKA BORAH girimallikaborah@gmail.com Department of Geography, Bodoland University Kokrajhar, BTAD, Assam IUSSP Conference Paper, 2017, Cape Town

2 ABSTRACT We assess the changing contribution of different age groups to temporal increase in life expectancy at birth (LEB) as well as increasing gender gap before and after female and male life expectancy crossover. We have used sample-survey-based age-specific mortality data available for the periods 1970–2006 to construct abridged life tables. During 1981–1985, female LEB caught up with male LEB for India and, by 2005, all major states completed the crossover. Using Arriaga’s method of decomposition, we provide added evidence that temporal increase in life expectancy in India is largely a function of the decline in under-five mortality, especially from the 0–1 year age group, regardless of sex. The male – female crossover in LEB is remarkable on the face of continued female disadvantage from birth till adolescent, even for some richer states. Gender difference in LEB in favour of female is largely a function of adult age groups. Juxtaposing the results from contribution in absolute number of years and their relative contribution change over time, it is established that although the adult and old age groups contribute the highest in absolute number of years, the contribution of the reproductive age groups is the most relevant in relative terms.

3 Gender gap in mortality in India and role of age groups: A comparison between before and after male – female Life Expectancy at Birth crossover Introduction Like many other Asian nations India began its health transition at low life expectancy of 24.8 years (Railey, 2005). At the turn of century, life expectancy increased to 62 years. The rate of growth has however slowed down after 1990s. The average life expectancy of global population in the year 2009 is 68 years (WHO) and life expectancy in India in the year 2008 is 66.1 years. Not only India lacked behind international standard, most of India’s neighbour countries are doing better than India. Using data from World Development Indicators (WDI) it is found that in the year 2011, India ranks 140 among 190 countries and except for Pakistan, rest of South Asia has higher life expectancy than India. Countries who started their transitions at the same time and at the same level as was India have reached higher life expectancy at birth. The reduction and where possible eradication of differentials in mortality has been a primary intention of World Health Organisation and it is implied in its stated goal of achieving ‘Health for all by the year 2000’ (Lopez et al., 1983). Life expectancy in India is marked by differences among and between national populations, distinction by sex and place of residence. A better understanding of the age pattern of mortality is required to formulate policy decisions and to follow target group approach to reduce mortality and improve life expectancy in general. [Figure 1 about here] Another striking distinction of India’s mortality transition is unlike most of the developed and many developing nations India continued to have higher male life expectancy when the transition was in process. During 1981-1985, female LEB has caught up with male LEB. “Crossover” is a term used in the literature to explain change in trend. The male female crossover was complete by 2005 in all the major states. Higher life expectancy among females is a general pattern found in majority of the life tables available across the world and almost universal to the developed countries (Lee 2003, Sandiford 2009). A clear north - east and south - west difference is observed among the states regarding timing of crossover. South and West Indian states passed the crossover earlier than the states located in the north and east India with only two exceptions, West Bengal from east and Tamil Nadu form south. We have identified three time period one before and one after the crossover. In this paper, we discuss gender gap in life expectancy at state level and what age group has contributed the most to the change in situation from 1970-’75 when life expectancy at zero was in favour of males to 1981-’85 when female crossed over male life expectancy at birth ? We will see how contribution from different age groups has changed after the crossover using time period 2006 – 2010. [Table 1 about here]

4 Figure 2 shows the differences in male and female life expectancy at a particular level of life expectancy at birth at state level, 2006 - 2010. No state lies below the 45° line. It is very clear that by 2006-’10 female life expectancy for all states are higher at a given level of male life expectancy. As the gap between the trend line and the 45° line increases, the gender gap in life expectancy in favour of female increases. Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Assam – from their position just above the 45° line it is apparent that sex differentials in mortality is very less. Kerala remained an outlier state during the whole period between 1970-’75 to 2006-’10, an occurrence that has been explained length and breadth in many earlier studies relating to this topic. [Figure 2 about here] Review of Literature There are some interesting findings related to pattern of sex differentials in life expectancy at birth. One, higher life expectancy among females is a general pattern found in majority of the life tables available across the world and almost universal to the developed countries. 1 , 2 It is observed in literature from the developed nations that the gender gap in life expectancy at birth in favour of women has been a historical phenomenon for the developed nations, in Sweden life expectancy at Birth continues to be the highest until recently when Japan took over, higher female life expectancy is a historical phenomena right from early eighteenth century, and it increased thereafter until it started falling after the late nineteenth century. In England, Wales, The Netherlands, Iceland, Italy, Finland, Switzerland and Norway female life expectancy at birth is higher than male since mid nineteenth century since when data is available 3 . It is concluded in many literature that the gap increases with the increase in economic development. To quote one such assertion, “As society develops, mortality declines and, at the same time, the excess female mortality characteristic of pre- transition societies shifts to higher male mortality” (Fix and Fix: 1991, page- 212). It is also pointed out that economic development is more beneficial to female since absolute and relative increase of life expectancy at birth coincides with increase in income 4 . Developed nations started their mortality transition earlier gender gap has increased in favour of females and some of the developed nations are now at the stage from where gender gap in life expectancy is declining. Countries those are mentioned above are the high- income countries, they have started experiencing narrowing gap of gender differentials in mortality and it has pointed out new feature of epidemiological transition. Japan is an interesting case for this matter where in spite of having the highest life expectancy at birth still the gap is widening and showing no sign of narrowing down. 5 , 6 In the 1980s and 90s sex differences in mortality 1 Sandiford, P. (2009). “Getting Back the Missing Men of Aotearoa: Declining Gender Inequality in NZ Life Expectancy”, Journal of Primary Health Care , Vol. 1, No. 4. 2 Lee, R. (2003). “The Demographic Transition: Three Centuries of Fundamental Change”, Journal of Economic Perspectives , Vol. 17, No. 4, pp. 167- 190. 3 Glei, A. D. and Shiro Horiuchi (2007). “The Narrowing sex Differentials in Life Expectancy in High- Income Populations: Effects of Differences in the Age Pattern of Mortality”, Population Studies , Vol. 61, No. 2, p. 146. 4 Alachkar A. And William J. Serow, 1988, “The Socioeconomic Determinants of Mortality: An International Comparison”, Genus , Vol. 44, No. ¾, pp. 131-151 5 Ibid.