Understanding the Natural and Socioeconomic Factors behind Regional Longevity in Guangxi, China: Is the Centenarian Ratio a Good Enough Indicator for Assessing the Longevity Phenomenon?

Qucheng Deng, Yongping Wei, Yan Zhao, Xuerong Han and Juan Yin
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Qucheng Deng: School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4067, Australia
Yongping Wei: School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4067, Australia
Yan Zhao: School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4067, Australia
Xuerong Han: Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Environmental Monitoring Center, Nanning 530028, China
Juan Yin: Department of Management Science and Engineering, Guangxi University of Finance and Economics, Nanning 530003, Guangxi, China

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 5, 1-16

Abstract: Despite a number of longevity indicators having been used in previous longevity studies, few studies have critically evaluated whether these indicators are suitable to assess the regional longevity level. In addition, an increasing number of studies have attempted to determine the influence of socioeconomic and natural factors on regional longevity, but only certain factors were considered. This study aims to bridge this gap by determining the relationship between the 7 longevity indicators and selecting 24 natural and socioeconomic indicators in 109 selected counties and urban districts in Guangxi, China. This study has applied spatial analysis and geographically weighted regression as the main research methods. The seven longevity indicators here refer to centenarian ratio, longevity index, longevity level, aging tendency, 80 + ratio, 90 + ratio, and 95 + ratio. Natural indicators in this study mainly refer to atmospheric pressure, temperature, difference in temperature, humidity, rainfall, radiation, water vapor, and altitude. Socioeconomic indicators can be categorized into those related to economic status, education, local infrastructure, and health care facilities. The results show that natural factors such as the difference in temperature and altitude, along with socioeconomic factors such as GDP, might be the most significant contributors to the longevity of people aged 60–90 years in Guangxi. The longevity index and longevity level are useful supplementary indexes to the centenarian ratio for assessing the regional longevity.

Keywords: regional longevity; natural and socioeconomic indicators; spatial analysis; geographically weighted regression; Guangxi (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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