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The effects of shocks in early life mortality on later life expectancy and mortality compression: A cohort analysis

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  • Mikko Myrskylä

    (Max-Planck-Institut für Demografische Forschung)

Abstract

I study how shocks in cohort-level early life conditions, as represented by deviations from trend in mortality before age 5, affect later mortality. I use data for six European countries and find that shocks that increase infant mortality decrease later life expectancy between ages 5-30. The effect is strong for England and Wales but small or insignificant for other countries. Shocks that increase mortality at ages 1-5 increase life expectancy between ages 5-30 and compress the mortality distribution. For both shocks the effects are weak at older ages. These results suggest that early life conditions have a transitory effect and potentially only little influence on old-age mortality.

Suggested Citation

  • Mikko Myrskylä, 2010. "The effects of shocks in early life mortality on later life expectancy and mortality compression: A cohort analysis," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 22(12), pages 289-320.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:22:y:2010:i:12
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2010.22.12
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    Cited by:

    1. Virginia Zarulli, 2012. "Mortality shocks and the human rate of aging," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2012-019, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    mortality; cohort effects; early life conditions;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

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