The Intergenerational Transmission of Lifespan and Longevity: Evidence from the Swedish Censuses 1880-1950

Isa Barraclough , Lund University
Ingrid K van Dijk, Lund University

Dramatic increases in life expectancy and declines in infant mortality have occurred in recent history, but these benefits have not been transferred equally to all. This study contributes to the existing literature on inequalities in mortality between families by investigating the familial association in lifespan and longevity and its historical variation in Sweden over two centuries 1820-2020. We use full-count census records linked to the Swedish death register. Preliminary analyses show that the correlation between lifespan of grandparents, parents and children is relatively stable across time despite large secular change in lifespan. Correlations are strongest between parents and children, and are stronger in same-sex relations, between grandmothers, mothers and daughters and grandfathers, fathers and sons. In planned work for this paper, we extend the analyses to same-generation relatives and to relatives who are not direct ancestors and use rank-rank associations to account for increases in lifespan across time.

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 Presented in Session P2. Health, Mortality, Ageing - Aperitivo