Abstract
The gains in average life expectancy achieved during the course of the twentieth century in Europe present an increase of the overlife of women over time.
Correlated the male life expectancy at birth with the corresponding excess female life expectancy by regions in Europe (north, west, south), an S-shaped “curve” derives as a pattern in each region, following four phases: first phase, increase of male life expectancy to about 58 years, but no change in female excess; second phase, increase for males up to 66 years, but only a small increase in female excess; third phase, increase for males by only 3 years, but acceleration of the female excess; and fourth phase, increase for male life expectancy with a retardation of the excess female life expectancy. Out of these three patterns (north, west and south) a model emerges which can be used for predicting the sex differential in life expectancy at birth, when the male life expectancy at birth is given. For example, among the three regions the prediction could be made for the region of southern countries (which is with some lag as compared to the other two regions) on the level and sex differential of the life expectancy in the next decade.
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