Sub-state Life Expectancy Estimation Using the Methodology for Small Population

Abstract

Life expectancy is one of the most preferred indicators in demographic and health analysis. In India, though the office of the Registrar General periodically publishes the life expectancies for the bigger states, for smaller states no figures are available. This paper attempts to estimate the life expectancy at birth along with its standard error for Kohima and Dimapur districts of Nagaland- a smaller tribal state of India. Silcocks and Chiang’s revise methodology of life expectancy estimation is used to estimate the life expectancies. Both Silcocks and Chiang’s revise method produced almost identical life expectancy estimates. However, Silcocks method estimate life expectancy at birth with a lower standard error. The Monte Carlo Simulation technique is used to generate the distribution of life expectancy at birth and its standard error. Estimated life expectancy at birth has an approximately normal distribution and the simulated result approximated very well to the Silcocks and Chiang’s methodology of life expectancy estimation.