Gender gap in life expectancy in India and role of age groups: A comparison between before and after male – female life expectancy at birth crossover

Abstract

To assess the gender gap in life expectancy at birth in India and its major states as well as the timing of male-female life expectancy at birth crossover. To analyze the age-specific contributions to the changing gender differences before and after the crossover at the national and sub-national levels. We have used sample-survey-based age-specific mortality data available for the periods 1970–2018 to construct abridged life tables. The contribution of different age groups to the gender gap is estimated by using Arriaga’s method of decomposition. During 1981–85 female life expectancy at birth caught up with male life expectancy at birth for India and by 2005 all major states completed the crossover. The male-female crossover in life expectancy at the national level in the early 80s is remarkable in the face of continued female disadvantage from birth till adolescence, even for some richer states. We provide evidence that gender difference in longevity in favour of females is largely a function of adult age groups and younger age groups contribute negatively to the gender gap in life expectancy at birth in most states. Juxtaposing the results from contribution in an absolute number of years and their relative contribution change before and after the crossover, it is established that although the adult and old age groups contribute the highest in the absolute number of years before and after the crossover, the contribution of the reproductive age groups and childhood years in the recent time is most relevant in relative terms.