title: Trends in Longevity in the Americas: Disparities in Life Expectancy in Women and Men, 1965-2010.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We describe trends in life expectancy at birth (LE) and between-country LE disparities since 1965, in Latin America and the Caribbean.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LE trends since 1965 are described for three geographical sub-regions: the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. LE disparities are explored using a suite of absolute and relative disparity metrics, with measurement consensus providing confidence to observed differences. LE has increased throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Compared to the Caribbean, LE has increased by an additional 6.6 years in Central America and 4.1 years in South America. Since 1965, average reductions in between-country LE disparities were 14% (absolute disparity) and 23% (relative disparity) in the Caribbean, 55% and 51% in Central America, 55% and 52% in South America.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LE in Latin America and the Caribbean is exceeding 'minimum standard' international targets, and is improving relative to the world region with the highest human longevity. The Caribbean, which had the highest LE and the lowest between-country LE disparities in Latin America and the Caribbean in 1965-70, had the lowest LE and the highest LE disparities by 2005-10. Caribbean Governments have championed a collaborative solution to the growing burden of non-communicable disease, with 15 territories signing on to the Declaration of Port of Spain, signalling regional commitment to a coordinated public-health response. The persistent LE inequity between Caribbean countries suggests that public health interventions should be tailored to individual countries to be most effective. Between- and within-country disparity monitoring for a range of health metrics should be a priority, first to guide country-level policy initiatives, then to contribute to the assessment of policy success.
authors.affiliation: Chronic Disease Research Centre, Tropical Medicine Research Institute, The University of the West Indies, Bridgetown, Barbados, West Indies.
authors.forename: Ian R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Hambleton
authors.affiliation: Chronic Disease Research Centre, Tropical Medicine Research Institute, The University of the West Indies, Bridgetown, Barbados, West Indies.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Howitt
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, Barbados, West Indies.
authors.forename: Selvi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jeyaseelan
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, Barbados, West Indies.
authors.forename: Madhuvanti M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.affiliation: Chronic Disease Research Centre, Tropical Medicine Research Institute, The University of the West Indies, Bridgetown, Barbados, West Indies.
authors.forename: Anselm J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Hennis
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology Research Unit, Tropical Medicine Research Institute, The University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies.
authors.forename: Rainford
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wilks
authors.affiliation: The University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies.
authors.forename: E Nigel
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.affiliation: The Sullivan Alliance, 1729 King Street, Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia, United States of America.
authors.forename: Marlene
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: MacLeish
authors.affiliation: The Sullivan Alliance, 1729 King Street, Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia, United States of America.
authors.forename: Louis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sullivan
mesh_terms: D017691:Caribbean Region; D005260:Female; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D007843:Latin America; D008017:Life Expectancy / Q000266:history / Q000639:trends*; D008136:Longevity; D008297:Male; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012737:Sex Factors