TY  - JOUR
A1  - Strozza, Cosmo
A1  - Caselli, Graziella
A1  - Egidi, Viviana
A1  - Testa, Maria Rita
T1  - Ageing and diversity: Inequalities in longevity and health in low-mortality countries
Y1  - 2024/02/20
JF  - Demographic Research
JO  - Demographic Research
SN  - 1435-9871
SP  - 347
EP  - 376
DO  - 10.4054/DemRes.2024.50.12
VL  - 50
IS  - 12
UR  - https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol50/12/
L1  - https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol50/12/50-12.pdf
L2  - https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol50/12/50-12.pdf
N2  - Background: Longevity and old age are two aspects of the same phenomenon, representing a major concern for modern societies. There is universal consensus among scholars about the need for new frameworks and measures to define older people in a more effective and dynamic way. 

Objective: The aim of this paper is to compute prospective old-age thresholds (POATs) in six countries characterised by disparate progress in survival. To outline possible strategies to counter population ageing, the paper also examines trends in POAT and disability-free POAT (DF-POAT) in Italy by gender, geographical area, and education. 

Methods: To compute the POAT, we use life tables from the Human Mortality Database (HMD) and the Italian National Institute of Statistics, Istat. In addition, to compute the DF-POAT, data on mortality and health by geographical area and education were retrieved from Istat. 

Results: During the period 1950–2020 the POAT advanced everywhere, albeit in different rhythms by country, gender, and period. However, great differences in POAT and DF-POAT have emerged, depending on place of residence, education, and health. 

Conclusions: The POAT changes the evaluation of population ageing and could reduce the alarm caused by measures based on static chronological old-age thresholds. Using Italy as a case study, we show that overcoming geographical and social inequalities would counteract the population ageing process. 

Contribution: The paper highlights how individual and population ageing is a relative concept, as acknowledged by James W. Vaupel in his studies where he explores the equivalence between ages based on mortality risks. 

ER  -