Life Expectancy Dynamics in European Border Regions: Differences by Age and Age-Specific Contributions to Convergence and Divergence

Carolien Pruim , University of Groningen
Rok Hrzic, Maastricht University
Pavel Grigoriev, Federal Institute for Population Research
michael muehlichen, Federal Institute for Population Research (BiB),
Tobias Vogt, Population Research Centre, Faculty of Spatial Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

Recent regional mortality analyses in Europe reveal that not all areas have benefited equally from health improvements, raising concerns about growing divergence in regional mortality patterns. EU border regions represent a key dimension for understanding the health impacts of European integration, given the ability to travel freely across borders. Border regions combine structural disadvantages, such as peripheral economic position and limited access to healthcare providers, with unique opportunities arising from European integration and cross-border mobility. Despite their relevance, longitudinal studies on population health in border regions remain scarce and have to date not examined mortality in specific age groups. This study addresses this gap by examining age-specific contributions to life expectancy changes in European border regions between 1995 and 2024. Using harmonized mortality and population data from the REDIM project for 17 countries at the NUTS-3 level, we estimate partial and remaining life expectancy for key age groups (0–15, 15–65, 65+) in border and non-border EU regions. Decomposition techniques are applied to identify the age groups driving convergence or divergence across EU borders. We expect to find that life expectancy in border regions remains lower and more heterogeneous than in non-border regions, with patterns of both convergence and divergence over time. Gains at older ages (65+) are anticipated to account for the largest share of improvements, reflecting advances in medical technology and healthcare access, while younger age groups contribute less due to already low mortality levels.

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 Presented in Session P6. Health, Mortality, and Ageing 2