Description: Demographers have typically viewed mortality trends from historical and cross-national perspectives, looking at commonalities in the evolution of mortality. In general, with improving economic conditions mortality has tended to decline and life expectancies to rise. The epidemiological transition from a mortality pattern dominated by infectious diseases to one in which more endogenous causes of death predominate is a central theme.

Description: Suicide is one of the ten leading causes of death in the United States and the only one of those causes that is trending in the wrong direction over the last 15 years. This article examines several aspects of suicide in the United States with a focus on its impact on the insurance industry. The findings were compiled from publicly available data through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, from internal RGA data, and also from interviews with topic experts. The article highlights the difference in suicide rates between the general population and the insured population, the proportion of claims from suicide, the spike in suicide rates at the end of the contestability (or exemption period), and current thoughts from counseling experts on prevention. It also demonstrates an increase in suicide rates during times of economic turmoil.

Description: This is a paper from the session on the Asia at the January 15-18, 2023, 2023 Living to 100 Symposium in Orlando, Florida.

Description: Some seniors may find it challenging to manage frequent doctor visits. Telemedicine can significantly fill in some of these gaps by enabling “virtual” doctor visits. Telemedicine improves access to medical care, reduces the need for transportation, reduces wait times, protects the health of individuals who won’t be exposed to germs of others in a waiting room, and improves access to care from a healthcare professional who may be far away from the patient and more. Implications for telemedicine in charged amounts (in various insurances) are being worked out and continue to evolve.

Description: The influenza pandemic of 1918-20 is recognized as having generally taken place in three waves, starting in the northern spring and summer of 1918. This pattern of three waves, however, was not universal: in some locations influenza seems to have persisted into or returned in 1920. The recorded statistics of influenza morbidity and mortality are likely to be a significant understatement. Limitations of these data can include nonregistration, missing records, misdiagnosis, and nonmedical certification, and may also vary greatly between locations. Further research has seen the consistent upward revision of the estimated global mortality of the pandemic, which a 1920s calculation put in the vicinity of 21.5 million. A 1991 paper revised the mortality as being in the range 24.7-39.3 million. This paper suggests that it was of the order of 50 million. However, it must be acknowledged that even this vast figure may be substantially lower than the real toll, perhaps as much as 100 percent understated.

Description: This is a paper from the session on Retirement Factors and Stages at the January 15-18, 2023, 2023 Living to 100 Symposium in Orlando, Florida.

Description: This is the How Amending Old Age Security Would improve the State of Canadian Women Living in the Alone Stage of Retirement paper authored by Lori J. Curtis and Douglas W. Andrews for Session 5B of the January 13-15, 2020 Living to 100 Symposium in Orlando, Florida.

Description: An actuary has twins...and uses regression analysis to estimate their fetal vital statistics.

Description: This is the Health and Social Care Analysis Regarding the State of Canadian Women Living in the Alone Stage of Retirement paper authored by Douglas W. Andrews and Lori Curtis for Session 4B of the January 13-15, 2020 Living to 100 Symposium in Orlando, Florida.

Description: This is a paper from the session on Shape of Mortality at Old Ages at the January 15-18, 2023, 2023 Living to 100 Symposium in Orlando, Florida.