Demographic characteristics of Sardinian centenarian genealogies: Preliminary results of the AKeA2 study

Abstract

Objective: This article provides an overview of the AKeA2 study, with a particular focus on data collection concerning family genealogies of the Sardinian centenarians and controls, and on the quality of these data. A first analysis of the main characteristics of the survey data is also summarized and selected preliminary results are presented. Methods: We use descriptive statistics to analyze data collected by the AKeA2 survey on Sardinian centenarians and controls. Results: Centenarian women have on average fewer children, and at an older age, particularly for their last child. The mothers of centenarians, especially centenarian women, lived longer on average than those of deceased controls and controls born between 1905 and 1910 but still living at the moment of the survey.

Keywords

• AKeA2 survey
• centenarians
• fertility
• infant mortality
• longevity
• Sardinia