Rectangularization of the Survival Curve in the Netherlands, 1950-1992

In this article we determine whether rectangularization of the survival curve occurred in the Netherlands in the period 1950–1992. Rectangularization is defined as a trend toward a more rectangular shape of the survival curve due to increased survival and concentration of deaths around the mean age at death. We distinguish between absolute and relative rectangularization, depending on whether an increase in life expectancy is accompanied by concentration of deaths into a smaller age interval or into a smaller proportion of total life expectancy. We used measures of variability based on Keyfitz... Mehr ...