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Month of birth influences survival up to age 105+: first results from the age validation study of German semi-supercentenarians

Author

Listed:
  • Gabriele Doblhammer

    (Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany)

  • Rembrandt D. Scholz

    (Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany)

  • Heiner Maier

    (Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany)

Abstract

Using data from Germany, we examine if month of birth influences survival up to age 105. Since age reporting at the highest ages is notoriously unreliable we draw on age-validated information from a huge age validation project of 1487 alleged German semi-supercentenarians aged 105+. We use month of birth as an exogenous indicator for seasonal changes in the environment around the time of birth. We find that the seasonal distribution of birth dates changes with age. For 925 age-validated semi-supercentenarians the seasonality is more pronounced than at the time of their births (1880-1900). Among the December-born the relative risk of survival from birth to age 105+ is 16 per cent higher than the average, among the June-born, 23 per cent lower. The month-of-birth pattern in the survival risks of the German semi-supercentenarians resembles closely the month-of-birth pattern in remaining life expectancy at age 50 in Denmark.

Suggested Citation

  • Gabriele Doblhammer & Rembrandt D. Scholz & Heiner Maier, 2005. "Month of birth influences survival up to age 105+: first results from the age validation study of German semi-supercentenarians," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2005-004, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:wpaper:wp-2005-004
    DOI: 10.4054/MPIDR-WP-2005-004
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gabriele Doblhammer, 2003. "The late life legacy of very early life," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2003-030, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    2. Samuel H. Preston & Michael R. Haines, 1991. "Fatal Years: Child Mortality in Late Nineteenth-Century America," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number pres91-1.
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    Cited by:

    1. Marcotte, Dave E. & Engel, Katherine, 2023. "Baby Bump? Birth Month, Family Income, and Early Childhood Development," IZA Discussion Papers 16212, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

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