age-specific death rate

The starting point for calculating life expectancies is the age-specific death rates of the population members.

Moreover, it would be sensible because of age distribution differences to use age-specific death rates e.g. 55-74 years of age (and finer gradations).

CHILD MORTALITY - A particular group of age-specific death rates that measures the frequency of death among children.

However for some purposes, such as pensions calculations, it is usual to adjust the life table used, thus assuming that age-specific death rates will continue to decrease over the years, as they have done in the past.

"It is startling to see a paper without age-specific death rates," Dr. Freedman said, because without them it is impossible to assess the scientists' conclusions that the increased deaths were solely because of more elderly people.