Patterns of Aged-People Life Expectancy in Three Chinese Cities

Jiaying Zhao, Australian National University
Jow-Ching Tu, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Zhongwei Zhao, Australian National University

Life expectancy at age 65 increased remarkably in three Chinese cities: Hong Kong, Shanghai and Taipei for 1970s – 2000s, even though these cities differ in levels of economic development, health systems, and other factors. This paper aims to understand the changes and to explain potential reasons of such improvements. Despite unprecedented increases in current life expectancy and attainment of similar levels of life expectancy, these cities differ in the contributions of changes in major causes of death to the improvements in life expectancy among the elderly. We explore several possible determinants of these different patterns and trends including economic development, health service delivery systems, and competing risks from cardiovascular disease and other diseases for these cities. Our analysis suggests that the effect of equity of health service delivery has a major key and essential.