Provincial Mortality Disparities in China: A Comparative Study Based on 2010 Census

Cheng Li , School of Public Affairs, Zhejiang University
Hong Mi, Zhejiang University

This paper examined provincial mortality patterns and levels in China’s 31 provinces mainly based on the data from the 2010 census. Through a model-based clustering analysis and the comparison with model life tables, age patterns of provincial mortality in 2010 can be divided into 10 patterns and present geographical features and male and female patterns may not be the same in a certain province. Female advantage in mortality over male mainly appears in adulthood years, but in childhood and old ages, such advantage become weakened. Life expectancy still shows a downward trend from eastern coastal areas to western inland areas, and 5 groups have been distinguished based on life expectancy and sex difference in each province. The analysis of decomposing sexual and provincial difference in life expectancy at birth elucidates sex differences are mainly contributed by old ages while childhood is less significant. Differences among provinces are primarily caused by old-age and child mortality differential. The calculation of life table entropy shows in 2010 deaths in most of provinces have reach the third stage of mortality transition and female has a faster mortality transition progress than male.

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 Presented in Session 21. Disparities in Survival and Mortality