INDEPTH Model Life Tables 2.0

Samuel J. Clark, University of Washington
Momodou Jasseh, INDEPTH Network
Ayaga A. Bawah, INDEPTH Network
Osman Sankoh, INDEPTH Network

This work utilizes prospectively collected, individual-level data gathered by Demographic Surveillance System sites that are members of the INDEPTH Network to identify commonly observed age patterns of mortality in Africa and Asia and use them to build a set of model life tables that are more appropriate for use in Africa. A component model of mortality is proposed that facilitates identification of empirical regularities in the age pattern of mortality via a Bayesian model-based clustering method and also provides a framework for generated model age patterns based on the characteristics of the empirical age patterns assigned to each cluster. This is the first major update of the original INDEPTH mortality patterns published in 2002, hence the designation “2.0” in the title.