The tree of lifespan: How the length of life branches across social determinants of health
Navn på bevillingshaver
Marie-Pier Bergeron Boucher
Titel
Associate Professor
Institution
University of Southern Denmark
Beløb
DKK 6,951,000
År
2025
Bevillingstype
Semper Ardens: Accelerate
Hvad?
How long do we live? This simple question lacks simple answers. Multiple social determinants of health, such as income, education and marital status, jointly influence length of life. Lifespan branches across these determinants, forming a complex “tree of lifespan”. Current understanding of the tree remains limited to one or two determinants at a time. This project addresses this knowledge gap.
Hvorfor?
Lifespan expectations shape all aspects of life and society, from retirement planning to healthcare investments, and inform public policies like pension age indexation. Accurate lifespan data is essential for evidence-based decision-making across institutions and policy domains.
Hvordan?
I will develop, refine and apply models to: (1) estimate and forecast lifespan across intersecting social determinants of health, (2) explain how lifespan differences across determinants shape general mortality patterns, and (3) evaluate the ripple effects of lifespan inequalities on other aspects of life. This approach will reveal the tree of lifespan and its broader impacts.