Gompertz Slope

Baseline Gompertz slope estimates clustered narrowly across the studied countries and sexes. Lower starting ages produced lower Gompertz slope estimates because younger adult mortality includes non-senescent causes. Female estimates of the Gompertz slope were often slightly higher than male estimates, but the difference was modest and inconsistent. The study uses the Gompertz slope as a proxy for individual aging rather than as a direct biological measure. The Gompertz slope represents how quickly mortality risk accelerates with age.