Aim To examine the differences in life expectancy and mortality between
the populations on Croatian islands and the mainland, and
among the islands themselves.
Method Data on population size and mortality collected in Croatia
in 2001 were analyzed by life table and standardized mortality
rates.
Results Life expectancy at birth (95% confidence interval) of the
population on Croatian islands was 76.4 yr (75.7-77.1) which was
significantly higher than life expectancy at birth of general Croatian
population which was 73.8 yr (73.5-73.9) or mainland Croatian
population which was 73.7 yr (73.6-73.8). Island population had
higher life expectancy until the age of 80 and again in the oldest
age group, 95+. More than 10% of inhabited islands in Croatia had
life expectancy at birth over 80 years. Two inhabited islands, Ilovik
(Kvarner islands) and Lopud (South Dalmatian islands), had one of
the highest life expectancy at birth recorded in the literature, with
95.0 and 90.6 years respectively. Mortality rates on islands were significantly
lower for age groups 50-64 and 65-79 years, and this difference
persisted for all island groups compared with general Croatian
population.
Conclusion Residents of Croatian islands had a higher life expectancy
than general or mainland Croatian population. Life expectancy
at birth on Croatian islands was lower than in other European
Mediterranean countries, but it resembles that in the neighboring
Slovenia, and it is considerably higher than in central and eastern
Europe and Balkan countries.