Livslängdsindexet

Livslängdsindexet is a demographic metric used to quantify and compare life expectancy across populations. It is commonly employed in population health studies and as a component in broader composite indices to summarize how long people are expected to live.

Calculation and interpretation: the index typically relies on life expectancy at birth as the underlying indicator. It is usually scaled to a 0–1 or 0–100 range through a linear transformation: I = (LE - LE_min) / (LE_max - LE_min), where LE is life expectancy at birth and LE_min and LE_max define plausible lower and upper bounds (for example, 20 and 85 years in some conventions). Some variants use different age cutoffs or bounds. A higher value denotes longer average lifespans, allowing straightforward cross-country or temporal comparisons.

Applications: the index is used for national health monitoring, international comparisons, and as a component in larger indices such as the Human Development Index. Data sources commonly include national vital statistics, census data, and international datasets from organizations like the United Nations, World Bank, and World Health Organization.

Limitations: the measure depends on the quality and comparability of mortality data and can be sensitive to data gaps or reporting differences. It condenses mortality information into a single number and may obscure disparities within a population, such as lifespan inequality or regional differences. It is an aggregate indicator and does not directly capture causes of death or quality of life.

See also: Life expectancy, Health indicators, Human Development Index.