Disability-Free Life Expectancy Over 30 Years: A Growing Female Disadvantage in the US Population

Abstract

Objectives To examine changes in active life expectancy in the United States over 30 years for older men and women (aged ≥ 65 years). Methods We used the 1982 and 2004 National Long Term Care Survey and the 2011 National Health and Aging Trends Study to estimate age-specific mortality and disability rates, the overall chances of survival and of surviving without disability, and years of active life for men and women. Results For older men, longevity has increased, disability has been postponed to older ages, disability prevalence has fallen, and the percentage of remaining life spent active has increased. However, for older women, small longevity increases have been accompanied by even smaller postponements in disability, a reversal of a downward trend in moderate disability, and stagnation of active life as a percentage of life expectancy. As a consequence, older women no longer live more active years then men, despite their longer lives. Conclusions Neither a compression nor expansion of late-life disability is inevitable. Public health measures directed at older women to postpone disability may be needed to offset impending long-term care pressures related to population aging.

Active Life Expectancy In The Older US Population, 1982–2011: Differences Between Blacks And Whites Persisted

“…Largely due to data constraints, prior studies have focused on shorter (generally 10- or 20-year) time periods and have not emphasized race. On balance our findings are consistent with prior studies, which have found compression of disability at age 65 during the 1980s and 1990s [22]. By focusing on racial differences, however, we find that the compression – defined as an increase in the percentage of remaining life to be lived without disability – has been experienced by whites but not blacks at older ages.…”

“…Such measures convey whether survival changes are accompanied by a compression or expansion in the period spent without activity limitations (or “disability-free”). Indeed, several studies have pointed to a pattern consistent with an overall compression of morbidity through the 1980s and 1990s, particularly for those with higher educational attainment [21,22]. However, studies focused on trends in active life expectancy by race are rare.…”

Extended Twilight among Isogenic C. elegans Causes a Disproportionate Scaling between Lifespan and Health

“…Some recent work has been able to address this question by asking whether modern advances in medicine have been more successful in extending disability-free life (healthspan) or activity-limited life (gerospan). There is evidence that, especially for females, medical advances have prolonged longevity primarily by expanding the late-life period of morbidity, without much effect on the span of disability-free life (Freedman et al, 2016). Fundamentally, however, whether it is worthwhile to extend lifespan in this fashion is a value judgment that may vary between individuals, and is thus more in the realm of clinical decision analysis (Kassirer, 1976; Weinstein and Stason, 1977; Lee et al, 2009) than experimental biology.…”

Armazenamento Caseiro De Medicamentos Por Usuários Restritos Ao Domicílio Da Área De Abrangência Do Centro De Saúde Jaqueline I, Regional Norte, Município De Belo Horizonte, Brasil

“…Além disso, mulheres idosas apresentam uma maior tendência a apresentarem deficiências na vida tardia. Nos Estados Unidos da América, porém, com o passar das décadas, foi observada uma diminuição das diferenças na expectativa de vida entre os gêneros (29).…”