SUNDAY, JUNE 25, 1978
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REPORT ON LIFE EXPECTANCY
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A BABY BOY BORN IN THE YEAR 1976 MAY BE EXPECTED TO LIVE UP TO THE AGE OF 70, AND A BABY GIRL UP TO 76, ACCORDING TO A NEW SET OF LIFE TABLES RECENTLY PREPARED BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.
THE TABLES, PREPARED SEPARATELY FOR MALES AND FEMALES FOR THE YEARS 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991 AND 1996, ARE CONTAINED IN A REPORT ENTITLED +HONG KONG LIFE TABLES+, NOW AVAILABLE FOR SALE AT $6 A COPY AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE, GENERAL POST OFFICE BUILDING, CONNAUGHT PLACE.
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A SPOKESMAN FOR THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT SAID THE TABLES PROVIDE A +COMPREHENSIVE MEANS OF PRESENTING THE MORTALITY EXPERIENCE OF A POPULATION AT A SPECIFIED PERIOD OF TIME+.
+THE EXPECTANCY OF LIFE CALCULATED FROM A LIFE TABLE IS A USEFUL INDICATOR OF THE GENERAL STATE OF HEALTH OF THE POPULATION,+ HE SAID.
THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT THE EXPECTANCY OF LIFE AT BIRTH FOR HONG KONG IS ALREADY VERY LONG COMPARED TO THOSE IN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, AND IS LONGER THAN THOSE FOR MOST COUNTRIES IN THIS REGION.
+ THE TREND TOWARDS A PROLONGED EXPECTANCY OF LIFE WILL CONTINUE IN THE FUTURE SO THAT IN 20 YEARS' TIME THE EXPECTANCY OF LIFE AT BIRTH MAY REACH 72 FOR MALES AND 78 FOR FEMALES,+ HE SAID.
THE REPORT ALSO INCLUDES A DESCRIPTION OF THE METHODOLOGY OF LIFE TABLE CONSTRUCTION AND A COMPARISON OF HONG KONG'S POSITION WITH THAT OF OTHER DEVELOPED AND DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.
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