Median/modal death ages of pooled European male cohorts were near-constant for ~25/30 years

ABSTRACTBackgroundLongevity is of considerable interest. Collation of recent data after World War II by the Human Mortality Database allowed analyses, previously unattainable, of modal death-ages for sufficient numbers of large European pooled cohorts.ObjectiveTo track modes, means and medians (≥60 years old (y)) of all-cause mortality for both sexes.MethodsThe only highest-quality, large-number Lexis data available were pooled from nine European countries: Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland; raw-data modes (and means/medians ≥60y, plus thin-plate-splines), were analyzed, plus loess-smoothed equivalents for individual countries.ResultsHere we show that for ~25-30 years (cohorts 1880- ~1909) dramatic overall sex differences existed between pooled raw-death-age changes: male modal ages being near-constant (77.2y + standard deviation 1.58y); females’ increased. Overall, for available cohorts (1880-1904) male raw medians were exactly constant (76y); male means showed slight increase (0.0193y/year; compare female: 0.146y/year). Male deaths ≥60≤76y compared with >76y, as percentages of total, were near-equal, whereas in females the former decreased. Only after ~1910 did male modal ages rapidly increase (other averages not calculable). Individual country results showed that males in Finland, France, Switzerland were affected less than other countries.ConclusionsResults clarify previously knowledge concerning sex differences during this period. Despite improved environment during late adulthood, this did not translate into increased male longevity and earlier events might have sealed their fate, especially in Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden. One hypothesis concerns long-term effects of the 1918-1919 influenza pandemic, perhaps directly relevant to the Covid-19 pandemic at present.