Inequalities in Longevity by Education Level in Spain: A Life Satisfaction Approach

Abstract

This paper computes satisfied life expectancy at age 30 (LE30) and at age 65 (LE65) in order to assess inequality in longevity by gender and education level in Spain. We calculate abridged life tables and satisfied LE using conventional life tables and Sullivan’s method. Population and mortality records for 2012 from the Spanish National Institute of Statistics’ (INE) are combined with prevalences of life satisfaction using the 2013 European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions. Satisfaction was defined through a single question about life satisfaction on a scale of 0–10. Results show that the smoothed age-specific prevalences of satisfaction increased with higher education level for both genders. Generally, women tended to report higher levels of satisfaction than men. Spanish women also have a higher LE, regardless of education, but the gender gap is larger among the highest educated. Highly educated women are expected to live 7.3 years more than men at the age of 30. Differences in satisfied LE favor women over men at both ages. The higher the education level is, the largest the satisfied LE. Among the highly educated, women at 30 will live happily 7.5 years more than men. To our knowledge, this is the first study that estimates subjective LE according to education level in Spain. We conclude that even though people in Spain are living longer and healthier than ever before, health inequalities still persist as only those with high education attainments will spend more years feeling satisfied with their lives than unsatisfied.