Estimation of adult mortality from paternal orphanhood: a reassessment and a new approach.

"This article proposes a new procedure for estimating men's mortality from paternal orphanhood which generally yields more accurate results than the existing approach. A procedure for estimating mortality from maternal orphanhood data based on consistent assumptions is also presented. The theory underlying these methods is outlined.... The article also points out an error made in the tabulation of the weighting factors used until now to estimate mortality from paternal orphanhood. Investigations using simulated data are presented which support the theoretical arguments that suggest that the paternal orphanhood method is more robust than has often been assumed and which confirm that the new approach usually produces more accurate estimates than the weighting factors."