The period mortality tables reflect the mortality of the respective year by age and sex. Based on age-specific mortality probabilities qx, mortality table functions are calculated, the most important of which is the distant life expectancy (column ex). General and balanced life tables are calculated for years around a census. In order to compensate for random fluctuations in qx over the age course, they are smoothed. From this, the individual life table functions are calculated.
The tables before 1909/12 refer to the Austrian Alpine countries of the monarchy, from 1930/33 to the present national territory.
Mortality tables are important not only for mortality analysis but also for legal issues and are a basis for life insurance policies and of present values of life annuity tables. Furthermore, mortality tables are used to calculate financial settlements in the context of the enforcement of civil law claims, e.g. after accidents.