Inequalities in life expectancy in Australia according to education level: a whole-of-population record linkage study
Abstract Background Life expectancy in Australia is amongst the highest globally, but national estimates mask within-country inequalities. To monitor socioeconomic inequalities in health, many high-income countries routinely report life expectancy by education level. However in Australia, education-...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2021-08-01
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| Series: | International Journal for Equity in Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-021-01513-3 |
| _version_ | 1818723923144998912 |
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| author | J Welsh K Bishop H Booth D Butler M Gourley HD Law E Banks V Canudas-Romo RJ Korda |
| author_facet | J Welsh K Bishop H Booth D Butler M Gourley HD Law E Banks V Canudas-Romo RJ Korda |
| author_sort | J Welsh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Life expectancy in Australia is amongst the highest globally, but national estimates mask within-country inequalities. To monitor socioeconomic inequalities in health, many high-income countries routinely report life expectancy by education level. However in Australia, education-related gaps in life expectancy are not routinely reported because, until recently, the data required to produce these estimates have not been available. Using newly linked, whole-of-population data, we estimated education-related inequalities in adult life expectancy in Australia. Methods Using data from 2016 Australian Census linked to 2016-17 Death Registrations, we estimated age-sex-education-specific mortality rates and used standard life table methodology to calculate life expectancy. For men and women separately, we estimated absolute (in years) and relative (ratios) differences in life expectancy at ages 25, 45, 65 and 85 years according to education level (measured in five categories, from university qualification [highest] to no formal qualifications [lowest]). Results Data came from 14,565,910 Australian residents aged 25 years and older. At each age, those with lower levels of education had lower life expectancies. For men, the gap (highest vs. lowest level of education) was 9.1 (95 %CI: 8.8, 9.4) years at age 25, 7.3 (7.1, 7.5) years at age 45, 4.9 (4.7, 5.1) years at age 65 and 1.9 (1.8, 2.1) years at age 85. For women, the gap was 5.5 (5.1, 5.9) years at age 25, 4.7 (4.4, 5.0) years at age 45, 3.3 (3.1, 3.5) years at 65 and 1.6 (1.4, 1.8) years at age 85. Relative differences (comparing highest education level with each of the other levels) were larger for men than women and increased with age, but overall, revealed a 10–25 % reduction in life expectancy for those with the lowest compared to the highest education level. Conclusions Education-related inequalities in life expectancy from age 25 years in Australia are substantial, particularly for men. Those with the lowest education level have a life expectancy equivalent to the national average 15–20 years ago. These vast gaps indicate large potential for further gains in life expectancy at the national level and continuing opportunities to improve health equity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T21:18:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-37b9f42162594e55a47673fdfc40e34a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1475-9276 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T21:18:14Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal for Equity in Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-37b9f42162594e55a47673fdfc40e34a2022-12-21T21:32:17ZengBMCInternational Journal for Equity in Health1475-92762021-08-012011710.1186/s12939-021-01513-3Inequalities in life expectancy in Australia according to education level: a whole-of-population record linkage studyJ Welsh0K Bishop1H Booth2D Butler3M Gourley4HD Law5E Banks6V Canudas-Romo7RJ Korda8Research School of Population Health, Australian National UniversityResearch School of Population Health, Australian National UniversitySchool of Demography, Australian National UniversityResearch School of Population Health, Australian National UniversityAustralian Institute of Health and WelfareResearch School of Population Health, Australian National UniversityResearch School of Population Health, Australian National UniversitySchool of Demography, Australian National UniversityResearch School of Population Health, Australian National UniversityAbstract Background Life expectancy in Australia is amongst the highest globally, but national estimates mask within-country inequalities. To monitor socioeconomic inequalities in health, many high-income countries routinely report life expectancy by education level. However in Australia, education-related gaps in life expectancy are not routinely reported because, until recently, the data required to produce these estimates have not been available. Using newly linked, whole-of-population data, we estimated education-related inequalities in adult life expectancy in Australia. Methods Using data from 2016 Australian Census linked to 2016-17 Death Registrations, we estimated age-sex-education-specific mortality rates and used standard life table methodology to calculate life expectancy. For men and women separately, we estimated absolute (in years) and relative (ratios) differences in life expectancy at ages 25, 45, 65 and 85 years according to education level (measured in five categories, from university qualification [highest] to no formal qualifications [lowest]). Results Data came from 14,565,910 Australian residents aged 25 years and older. At each age, those with lower levels of education had lower life expectancies. For men, the gap (highest vs. lowest level of education) was 9.1 (95 %CI: 8.8, 9.4) years at age 25, 7.3 (7.1, 7.5) years at age 45, 4.9 (4.7, 5.1) years at age 65 and 1.9 (1.8, 2.1) years at age 85. For women, the gap was 5.5 (5.1, 5.9) years at age 25, 4.7 (4.4, 5.0) years at age 45, 3.3 (3.1, 3.5) years at 65 and 1.6 (1.4, 1.8) years at age 85. Relative differences (comparing highest education level with each of the other levels) were larger for men than women and increased with age, but overall, revealed a 10–25 % reduction in life expectancy for those with the lowest compared to the highest education level. Conclusions Education-related inequalities in life expectancy from age 25 years in Australia are substantial, particularly for men. Those with the lowest education level have a life expectancy equivalent to the national average 15–20 years ago. These vast gaps indicate large potential for further gains in life expectancy at the national level and continuing opportunities to improve health equity.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-021-01513-3Life expectancySocioeconomicEducationInequalitiesMortalityRecord linkage |
| spellingShingle | J Welsh K Bishop H Booth D Butler M Gourley HD Law E Banks V Canudas-Romo RJ Korda Inequalities in life expectancy in Australia according to education level: a whole-of-population record linkage study International Journal for Equity in Health Life expectancy Socioeconomic Education Inequalities Mortality Record linkage |
| title | Inequalities in life expectancy in Australia according to education level: a whole-of-population record linkage study |
| title_full | Inequalities in life expectancy in Australia according to education level: a whole-of-population record linkage study |
| title_fullStr | Inequalities in life expectancy in Australia according to education level: a whole-of-population record linkage study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Inequalities in life expectancy in Australia according to education level: a whole-of-population record linkage study |
| title_short | Inequalities in life expectancy in Australia according to education level: a whole-of-population record linkage study |
| title_sort | inequalities in life expectancy in australia according to education level a whole of population record linkage study |
| topic | Life expectancy Socioeconomic Education Inequalities Mortality Record linkage |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-021-01513-3 |
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