Inequality in life expectancies across Europe and the US

B-Tier
Journal: Health Economics
Year: 2021
Volume: 30
Issue: 8
Pages: 1871-1885

Authors (5)

Radim Boháček (not in RePEc) Jesús Bueren (not in RePEc) Laura Crespo (not in RePEc) Pedro Mira (not in RePEc) Josep Pijoan‐Mas (not in RePEc)

Score contribution per author:

0.402 = (α=2.01 / 5 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

We use harmonized household panel data from Europe and the US and a three‐state survival model to provide comparable measurements of education and gender inequalities in total, healthy, and unhealthy life expectancies at age 50. Common across countries, the education advantage in total life expectancy is larger for males but the education advantage in (fewer) unhealthy years is larger for females. Counterfactual decompositions show that these results arise because the education advantage in conditional survival rates is relatively more important for males, while the education advantage in better health transitions is relatively more important for females. Across countries, the US stands out with the largest education gradient in healthy life expectancy.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:wly:hlthec:v:30:y:2021:i:8:p:1871-1885
Journal Field
Health
Author Count
5
Added to Database
2026-01-29