Age misreporting and its effects on adult mortality estimates in Latin America.

Abstract

"This article investigates whether misreporting of ages contributes to the apparently low mortality at older ages in Latin America. It compares the size of cohorts enumerated at two censuses, after allowance for intercensal deaths, in 10 intercensal periods in four countries. It finds evidence of very pervasive overstatement of age at advanced ages. Using an empirical age-reporting matrix for Costa Rica, it estimates the bias that such misstatement produces in measured adult mortality levels in that country."