Early life and mortality in Belgium during the 19th Century: a longitudinal survey

Thierry Eggerickx, Université Catholique de Louvain
Amel Bahri, Université Catholique de Louvain
Jamal El Makrini, Université Catholique de Louvain
Luis Reategui Salmon, Université Catholique de Louvain
Jean-Paul Sanderson, Université Catholique de Louvain

The GéDAP-UCL has developed a new research in historical demography which tends to develop the issue on possible linkages between living conditions in early life and mortality at advanced ages in the historical context of the 19th century in Belgium. Our study is based on the main hypothesis that relation between living conditions in early life and mortality at advanced ages does exist. In order to test it, we have chosen three generation groups which were born and lived their first years during specific periods. Our database is composed with individuals whose characteristics are coming from communal registers and death registers. Moreover, contextual variables will be added in the analysis. The selected methodology is the event history analysis i.e. the more suitable to reveal a possible impact from living conditions in early life on mortality at advanced ages, and what could be the specific conditions and modalities of this impact.