A comparison study on the life expectancy among residents in Fujian province, 1990-2010

Abstract

To analyze the change of life expectancy (LE) among residents of Fujian province over the past two decade and to evaluate the impact of age and causes of death on the differences related to LE. Mortality data from Causes of Death Surveillance System of Ministry of Health in Fujian province during 1990-2010 were used to calculate the life expectancy, and Arriaga decomposition method was applied to quantitatively evaluate its changes, based on the age-specific and cause-specific mortality. The LE in urban and rural residents of Fujian province had an increase of 5.82 and 11.67 years during the past two decade, respectively, which were higher in urban residents than in rural residents. Although the increment of LE was higher in rural populations than in urban population, the difference of LE between urban and rural was seen narrowed. The contribution rate of children on LE was reducing and the contribution rate of children below 14 years old to LE in rural resident declined from 78.29% to 31.23%. Middle age and elderly populations had become the major ones that causing the change of LE. The impact of cancer, respiratory diseases and cerebrovascular diseases on LE in urban residents was reducing, while the influence of infectious disease, nervous system disease and cardiac disease was increasing, causing the LE of urban resident increased 1.54,0.67 and 0.49 years, respectively. The impact of respiratory diseases, digestive system diseases, as well as injury and poisoning on LE in the rural residents was reducing, while the effect of cancer, cerebrovascular and cardiac disease increased, causing the LE in the rural resident increased 1.23 years. Different causes of death had different impact on the LE in each age group. To reduce the mortality rate in the middle-aged and elderly population and to control the incidence of non-communicable diseases could help to improve the LE in the residents of Fujian province.