elinajanodotteita

Elinajanodotteita are estimates of life expectancy used in demography. They express the average number of years a person can expect to live given current mortality patterns for a specific population. These estimates are commonly reported at birth (life expectancy at birth) but can also be calculated for people at a given age (life expectancy at age x) and for different time frames or cohorts.

The calculation relies on life tables, which summarize the probability of dying at each age. A key distinction is between period life expectancy, which assumes current mortality rates continue for a hypothetical cohort, and cohort life expectancy, which follows a real birth cohort over time. Life expectancy figures can refer to different populations (countries, regions, or subgroups) and are sensitive to data quality and how mortality is measured.

Elinajanodotteita are widely used in policy and research to assess health and social development, plan pensions and healthcare, and monitor progress over time. They highlight changes in population health but have limitations: they are average values, do not predict individual lifespans, and can be influenced by biases in death registration and population estimates. Globally, life expectancy has risen markedly over the last century, though substantial disparities remain between and within countries, and events such as pandemics can cause temporary declines.