Period life expectancy

In this news release, life expectancy refers to period life expectancy.

Period life expectancy is mainly used as a measure of mortality. It takes into account the age distribution and size of the population, which enables comparisons between different populations and makes it suitable as a general measure of the health status of a population.

Period life expectancy calculations are based on the mortality rates for all ages in a given year. This means it cannot be seen as equal to longevity, since mortality rates change throughout a lifetime. Declining death rates mean a higher cohort life expectancy - which can be seen as longevity - as opposed to the period life expectancy.