The implications of the recent economic crisis on life expectancy in Greece

Anastasia Kostaki, Athens University of Economics and Business
Byron Kotzamanis, University of Thessaly

This work, using census and official registration mortality data provides an investigation of the impact of the current economic crisis on the life expectancy of population in Greece. In particular, an examination of the temporal changes in life expectancies, and the differentiated contribution of various causes of death in total life expectancies is provided. In order to assess the effect of the elevated mortality risks in the life expectancy of the population at various ages, we consider the cause-specific mortality structure, differentiated by sex, age and cause of death, the evolution of mortality rates through time, as well as the specific mechanisms linking macroeconomic conditions with different causes of death. The cause and age specific pattern of mortality as determined by the intensity of death risks from the various causes, could explain changes of life expectancies of the population during the economic crisis. In order to estimate the differential impact of each cause of death on the total life expectancy, multiple decrement life tables differentiated by sex, age, cause of death, and calendar year throughout the period 2000-2012 are calculated, giving particular emphasis on the appearance of reversals after 2009.