Mortality table

Mortality Table

A Mortality Table, also known as a life table, death table or actuarial table, is a statistical tool used in actuarial science, demography, and public health to provide a detailed look at the probability of death for individuals at each age. It is a key tool for understanding life expectancy and mortality rates.

Overview

A mortality table is a two-dimensional table, with one axis representing age (from birth to the maximum attainable age), and the other axis representing the probability of death at each age. The table is typically based on a large sample of individuals and is used to estimate the likelihood of survival for individuals at different ages.

Construction

The construction of a mortality table involves the collection of mortality data from a large population over a specific period of time. This data is then used to calculate the probability of death for each age group. The most common method of constructing a mortality table is the cohort method, which involves tracking a group of individuals born in the same year (a cohort) from birth until the last member of the cohort dies.

Uses

Mortality tables are used in a variety of fields. In actuarial science, they are used to calculate life insurance premiums and pension benefits. In public health, they are used to track changes in mortality rates over time and to identify trends in disease prevalence and life expectancy. In demography, they are used to study population dynamics and to forecast future population changes.

Limitations

While mortality tables are a powerful tool, they have several limitations. They are based on historical data, and thus may not accurately predict future trends. They also assume that mortality rates are constant over time, which may not be the case. Finally, they do not account for individual differences in health, lifestyle, and other factors that can influence mortality.

See Also

• Life Expectancy
• Mortality Rate
• Actuarial Science
• Demography
• Public Health

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