Page 21 - IJPS-7-2

International Journal of
Population Studies Gender gap in life expectancy in South and East Europe

from the young to the old. Thus, the proportion of old-age is difficult to understand whether gender differences act as
population has been increasing rapidly and the process of a biological discriminant or determine different lifestyles
population aging (Bloom & Canning, 2006). Meanwhile, and hence different exposure to risk of death. Höhn
the developing world experienced a population boom, et al. (2018) demonstrated that females have a mortality
as a result of improved nutrition and public medical advantage over all ages and all causes of death, and that
infrastructure as well as health care (Bloom & Canning, beginning with the age of 50, there is an increasing number
2006). In parallel, the levels of fertility and mortality in of diseases and disabilities among people, as well as the
many developing countries have also witnessed substantive incidence of most unfavorable health conditions increases.
declines in the same period, and thus, population aging This paper aims to explore how development and
has been taking place in both developed and developing employment factors affect the gender gap in LEAB (females’
countries, although it was faster in the developed world LEAB – males’ LEAB) in South and East Europe. It is well
(United Nations, 2022). However, it should be noticed known that on average, females live longer than males,
that these demographic changes were followed as a result and that the gender gap in LEAB varies across countries
of the economic and social development. Accordingly, and changes over time. The objective of this research is
understanding of future demographic trends (e.g., changes to explore to what degree these distinctions and changes
in lifespan) is extremely important for the development of are explained by development and employment issues?
good policies. Therefore, an important research question is whether
Mortality risks across age range fell dramatically during the economic inequity between the sexes plays a role in
the 20 century, leading to an unprecedented increase in differentiating gender-specific LEAB? There is no doubt
th
life expectancy at birth (LEAB) (and life expectancies at all that these matters are important for policy purposes, like
ages) for both males and females in most countries in the the circumstances in the domain of health and labor issues.
world (Wilmoth, 2005; Aburto & van Raalte, 2018). Efforts Why these countries? These 24 countries under study
to explain the observed gender differences in mortality are are economically and culturally heterogeneous and,
not new and efforts to explain these differences are evident for this reason, one would expect to find differences in
in the empirical and theoretical reports and reviews in the influence of factors of economic development on
various scientific disciplines as demography, anthropology, the gender gap in LEAB, cross-sectionally. In addition,
epidemiology, economics, and evolutionary biology as well although many of the countries within our research come
as in actuarial studies and reports (Cullen et al., 2015). from the European Union and share common goals and
International publications and researchers nowadays values and function in a common economic environment,
regularly make use of LEAB in the analysis and the severe inequalities in LEAB exist (Pinho-Gomes et al.,
description of the level of mortality. To describe mortality, 2022). In addition, the region of South and East Europe
LEAB (e ) is generally considered as the most used was chosen because it is interesting, that is, this region
0
indicator (Horiuchi et al., 2013; Luy et al., 2020), and it is shows unusual periods of sudden change of mortality and
also an excellent indicator for comparing the mortality of considerable LEAB changes, and because the age pattern
two or more populations (e.g., Kouaouci et al., 2005; SORS, of mortality change is different from that observed in other
1997; WHO, 2014), because it is age standardized and is Western countries (Aburto & van Raalte, 2018). To assign
easy to interpret. Thus, LEAB is based on the fixed age- the countries to specific groupings, the M49 standard of
specific death rates, which is calculated by dividing the the Statistics Division of the United Nations was used
number of people who die in a given year and age group by (UNSD, 2021). Thus, according to this classification,
the number of people on average living in that year and age South European countries include Albania, Bosnia and
group (Luy et al., 2020). When investigating changes and Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Macedonia, Malta,
differences in LEAB between two populations or more, it Montenegro, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, and Spain.
East European countries include Bulgaria, Czechia,
is helpful at times to estimate what mortality differences Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Russian Federation,
in a specific age group contribute to the total difference in Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova. In the opinion of the
LEAB (Preston et al., 2001). Thus, one of the estimation author, Türkiye and Cyprus are additionally included
methods is decomposing a difference in LEAB.
in the group of countries as the closest Mediterranean
Using available datasets and UN estimates and models, Southeast European neighbors, even though according
Attaneé and Barbiéri (2009) pointed out that accurately to the United Nations Statistics Division (2021), they
measuring gender differences in mortality or longevity are classified as Western Asian countries. This research
were difficult, although in most countries, they noted concerns a political entity known as the Republic of
gender differences. Among the several causes of death, it Macedonia, which declared independence in 1991, and is

Volume 7 Issue 2 (2021) 15 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.v7i2.389