Ana Alexandre Fernandes*

As inquietações em torno do crescimento da esperança de vida têm conduzido as investigações a procurar avaliar os seus impactos na morbilidade, de modo a orientar e a implementar políticas preventivas de um envelhecimento saudável. Este texto procura reunir os vários problemas decorrentes do crescimento da esperança de vida. Identifica a posição relativa de Portugal na conquista de tempo de sobrevivência e analisa diferenças de comportamento face à mortalidade.

Palavras-chave: mortalidade; longevidade; esperança de vida; saúde; estatuto matrimonial.

Déterminantes de la mortalité et de la longévité: le Portugal dans une perspective européenne (UE15, 1991-2001)

Les inquiétudes suscitées par une augmentation de l’espérance de vie ont conduit les chercheurs à essayer d’évaluer ses impacts sur la morbidité, afin d’orienter et de mettre en place des politiques préventives pour un vieillissement sain. Le texte cherche à rassembler les différents problèmes qui découlent d’une croissance de l’espérance de vie. Il identifie la position relative du Portugal dans sa conquête du temps de survie et analyse les différences de comportement face à la mortalité.

Mots-clé: mortalité; longévité; espérance de vie; santé; statut matrimonial.

Determinants of mortality and longevity: Portugal in a European perspective (EU15, 1991-2001)

Concerns over growth in life expectancy have lead researchers to seek to assess its impact on death from illness and disease, in order to provide guidance for the implementation of preventive measures to ensure healthy ageing. This article seeks to bring together the various problems arising 668 from increased life expectancy. It identifies Portugal’s relative position in the effort to lengthen survival times and analyses different behavioural attitudes to mortality.

Keywords: mortality; longevity; life expectancy; health; marital status.

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* Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Universidade Nova de Lisboa.

** Agradeço a João Prista e Silva (ENSP/UNL) e Teresa Veiga (FCSH/UNL) a leitura crítica que fizeram deste texto.