On Measuring the Extreme Aged in the Population

In this study death statistics are used to estimate the United States population 85 years of age and over by a procedure based on Vincent's “method of extinct generations.” The resulting estimate is found to be quite similar to the census count for this population in 1950. Such a finding disputes the theory that greater exaggeration of age in the census than on vital records is responsible for distorted death rates for the extreme aged population. Death rates invariably mount with age, and since it seems likely both census and vital records data overstate the age of persons to some degree, an inference that the reported death rates for the population 85 years and over are too low can be made.