title: A general theory of life table construction and a precise abridged life table method.
abstract: "In this paper we lay the foundation of life table construction by unifying the existing life table methods.  We also present a new method of constructing current (period) abridged life tables.... The development includes (1) a careful formulation and computation of age-specific death rates, (2) derivation of a new set of formulas for computing the survivorship function from the observed age-specific death rates and populations, (3) estimation of the main life table functions by spline interpolation, integration and differentiation, and (4) use of a quadratic and a Gompertz function to close the life table.... The method is illustrated with construction of abridged life tables using Canadian data."
mesh_terms: D000569:Americas; D002170:Canada; D003710:Demography; D019049:Developed Countries; D008017:Life Expectancy; D015993:Life Tables; D008136:Longevity; D008722:Methods; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009026:Mortality; D009656:North America; D011153:Population; D011157:Population Dynamics; D012106:Research
keywords: Americas; Canada; Demographic Analysis; Demographic Factors; Developed Countries; Differential Mortality; Length Of Life; Life Expectancy; Life Table Method; Life Tables; Methodological Studies; Models, Theoretical; Mortality; North America; Northern America; Population; Population Dynamics; Research Methodology