title: Changes in life expectancy 1950-2010: contributions from age- and disease-specific mortality in selected countries.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Changes of life expectancy over time serve as an interesting public health indicator for medical, social and economic developments within populations. The aim of this study was to quantify changes of life expectancy between 1950 and 2010 and relate these to main causes of death.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pollard's actuarial method of decomposing life expectancy was applied to compare the contributions of different age- and disease-groups on life expectancy in 5-year intervals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From the 1960 to 70s on, declines in cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality play an increasing role in improving life expectancy in many developed countries. During the past decades gains in life expectancy in these countries were mainly observed in age groups ≥65 years. A further consistent pattern was that life expectancy increases were stronger in men than in women, although life expectancy is still higher in women. In Japan, an accelerated epidemiologic transition in causes of death was found, with the highest increases between 1950 and 1955. Short-term declines and subsequent gains in life expectancy were observed in Eastern Europe and the former states of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), reflecting the changes of the political system.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Changes of life years estimated with the decomposing method can be directly interpreted and may therefore be useful in public health communication. The development within specific countries is highly sensitive to changes in the political, social and public health environment.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Epidemiology and Medical Biometry, Ulm University, Helmholtzstrasse 22, 89081 Ulm, Germany ; Clinic for Geriatric Rehabilitation, Robert-Bosch Hospital, Auerbachstrasse 110, 70376 Stuttgart, Germany.
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klenk
authors.affiliation: Institute of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, 48149 Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Keil
authors.affiliation: Institute of Epidemiology and Medical Biometry, Ulm University, Helmholtzstrasse 22, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jaensch
authors.affiliation: Institute of Insurance Science, Ulm University, Helmholtzstrasse 20, 89081 Ulm, Germany ; Maxwell Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Edinburgh, UK ; Heriot-Watt University, EH14 4AS Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: Marcus C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Christiansen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Epidemiology and Medical Biometry, Ulm University, Helmholtzstrasse 22, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nagel
keywords: Age; Cause-specific; Decomposition; Gender; Life expectancy; Mortality