Decomposing Regional and Sex Mortality Differential in China 1999: The Causes of Death Perspective

Yong Li, Johns Hopkins University

This paper used causes-of-death data in 1999 and census data in 2000 of China to decompose regional and sex mortality differential into age groups and main causes-of-death. Indirect demographic estimation methods and model life tables were used to properly adjust the reported age-specific death rates in 1999. An iterative life table technique, first used by Preston et. al. in 1972, was implemented to construct cause-specific multi-decrement and associated decrement life tables and compare the results with the 1964 Taiwan and Hong Kong. Finally the rural-urban and male-female differential in life expectancy at birth was decomposed to age groups and causes-of-death within each age group. The results indicate that the infant and child under 5 were mainly responsible for the urban advantage; urban advantaged mainly in cardiovascular and pneumonia diseases while rural advantaged in neoplasm; female advantaged across all the ages except the infant year and mainly in non-communicable diseases.