Tempo effects in mortality: An appraisal.

This study examines the existence of tempo effects in mortality and evaluates the procedure developed by Bongaarts and Feeney for calculating a tempo-adjusted life expectancy. It is shown that the performance of Bongaarts and Feeney's index as an indicator reflecting current mortality conditions depends primarily on specific assumptions regarding the effects of changing period mortality conditions on the timing of future cohort deaths. It is argued that, currently, there is no clear evidence about the existence of such effects in actual populations. This chapter concludes that, until the existence of these effects can be demonstrated, it is preferable to continue using the conventional life expectancy as an indicator of current mortality conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]