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Minnesota Milestones 2010: Life expectancy

 
 
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The following idicator summary is from the 2002 Minnesota Milestones and does not neccessarily reflect the current data trends.
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Indicator : Life expectancy

Rationale: Life expectancy is used worldwide as a broad snapshot of human health.
About this indicator: Since 1980, the life expectancy for Minnesota newborns has increased by almost three years and for 65-year-olds by 1.4 years. Life expectancy takes into account all causes of death at any point after birth.

Minnesota women have a longer life expectancy at birth than men, but the gap narrowed from 7.3 years in 1980 to 5.0 years in 2000. At age 65 the gap is smaller at 3.4 years.

Minnesota's long life expectancy is not shared equally by all racial and ethnic groups. In 1990, the life expectancy of Blacks/African Americans and American Indians fell far short of life expectancy for Whites. In 2001, the Minnesota Legislature allocated $13.9 million for a statewide health disparities initiative.

Data for life expectancy is calculated periodically from population and mortality rates.

Expected years of life remaining at age 65
YearData
Expected years of life remaining at birth, National Center for Health Statistics and Minnesota State Demographic Center
Expected years of life remaining at age 65, National Center for Health Statistics and State Demographic Center at Minnesota Planning
At birth At age 65
198076.2 17.4
199077.9 18.2
199578.0 18.2
200079.1 18.8
200379.8 N
200580.2 N
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N: No data
For comparison: In 1995, the U.S. average life expectancy was 75.8 years at birth (compared to 78 in Minnesota) and 17.4 years at age 65 (compared to 18.2 in Minnesota). By 1999, the national figures increased slightly to 76.7 and 17.7, respectively. Minnesota data is not available for 1999.
Things to think about: In 1999, accidents (primarily motor vehicle) were the leading cause of death for Minnesotans under age 34. Between ages 15 and 34, the second leading cause of death was suicide. From ages 35 to 74, the largest number of deaths were from cancer. After the age of 75, heart disease was the leading cause of death.
Technical notes: Population rates are collected by the Census, which takes place every ten years; mortality data is released annually.
Sources:
  • The State Demographic Center at Minnesota Planning, publication forthcoming, www.mnplan.state.mn.us
  • U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, National Vital Statistics Report, www.cdc.gov/nchs
    • Related 2002 Milestones indicator:
    Other related indicators:
    Local data:

    Milestones is a product of the Minnesota State Demographic Center, a division of the Department of Administration