Modelling and Prediction of the Gross Mortality Rate in Ecuador

Abstract

This paper presents the results obtained from the modelling of the mortality data in Ecuador from 1990 to 2010, using the StMoMo library in the open source programming language R. This library was developed based on the Generalized Age-Period-Cohort Models (GAPC), among which is the Lee-Carter model, which has been widely applied in the actuarial area. The gross mortality rate of men and women in an age range of 1 to 85 years was modelled for the data of Ecuador, in the period 1990-2010. Of a total of eight models, two models have been selected because they present a good fit of the data for both genders. The first is the basic model of Lee-Carter and the second, the Plat model, which incorporates the cohort effect. A comparison was made with the two models to determine which one has a better forecast in a horizon of 20 years for specific ages. Both models show and predict the decrease in mortality in Ecuador of both genders, a decrease that is more pronounced, in general, for women at certain ages. In determining the uncertainty of the models, the bootstrap technique was used to define the confidence intervals of the adjusted model. The GAPC and ARIMA models were also compared; the former improve the mortality forecasting.