Abstract

Introduction: Human death is an old phenomenon that changes in degree over the centuries owing to the age structure, diseases, technology, discoveries and information as well as public health measures. Long before the invention of penicillin and the scientific revolution, pandemic and pestilence accounted for most human deaths, and the life expectancy was less than 40 years.

Objectives: This study aims to 1) evaluate the influence of particular macroeconomic conditions on mortality at older ages (60+), 2) model factors on deaths at older ages, 3) examine mortality at older ages, 4) determine the gender composition of mortality at older ages, and 5) provide public health administrators with pertinent information that will aid policy development and formulation.

Methods: This work utilized mainly secondary data analysis. Data were collated from various Jamaican Government Publications, namely Jamaica Survey of Living Conditions, Economic and Social Survey of Jamaica, Bank of Jamaica demographic statistics and the International Monetary Fund statistics. Ordinary least square regression was used to analyse the data. and exchange rate); unemployment, GDP per capita and the annual exchange rate are correlated with mortality at older ages. Poverty and inflation directly impact on mortality at older ages. new findings provide insights into the economics of mortality at older ages.

Results: Of the five (5) macroeconomic variables examined in this paper (inflation, unemployment, poverty, GDP

Conclusion: Death at more advanced ages is equally an economic phenomenon as it is a biological issue, and the

Keywords: Ageing; Fatality; Macroeconomic variables; Public health; Transience; Jamaica