Health expectancy in the occupied Palestinian territory: estimates from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank: based on surveys from 2006 to 2010

Abstract

ObjectivesThe purpose of the study was to estimate health expectancy for the Palestinian population and to evaluate changes that have taken place over the past 5 years.DesignMortality data and population-based health surveys.SettingThe Israeli-occupied Palestinian territory of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.Participants17 034 and 38 071 adults aged 20 or over participating the Palestinian Family Health Surveys of 2006 and 2010. Death rates for 2007 and 2010 covered the entire population.Outcome measuresLife expectancy and expected lifetime with and without chronic disease were estimated using the Sullivan method on the basis of mortality data and data on the prevalence of chronic disease.ResultsLife expectancy at the age of 20 increased from 52.8 years in 2006 to 53.3 years in 2010 for men and from 55.1 years to 55.7 years for women. In 2006, expected lifetime without a chronic disease was 37.7 (95% CI 37.0 to 38.3) years and 32.5 (95% CI 31.9 to 33.2) years for 20-year-old men and women, respectively. By 2010, this had decreased by 1.6 years for men and increased by 1.3 years for women. The health status of men has worsened. In particular, lifetime with hypertension and diabetes has increased. For women, the gain in life expectancy consisted partly of years with and partly of years without the most prevalent diseases.ConclusionsHealth expectancy for men and women diverged, which could to some extent be due to gender-specific exposures related to lifestyle factors and the impact of military occupation.

Increasing disability-free life expectancy among older adults in Palestine from 2006 to 2010

“…Although life expectancy at birth for Palestinians living in Palestine is progressing slowly and is higher than in some Arabic countries, 6 it is $ 8-10 years lower than in most European countries. Palestinian life expectancy at the age of 60 is about the same level as life expectancy at age 65 in Denmark, although the gender gap is smaller in Palestine.…”

“…This finds expression in a rise in expected lifetime with chronic disease at age 60. 6 However, the prevalence of chronic disease may increase in spite of a decrease in the incidence if more diseased survive. 33 Also, chronic disease may not lead to disability if patients are well treated.…”

“…11,16 Recently we found that expected lifetime with chronic disease at the age of 20 increased from 2006 to 2010 both for Palestinian men and women (from 15.1 to 17.1 years for men, and from 13.6 to 14.4 years for women), in both the Gaza strip and the West Bank. 6 In particular, the increase in expected lifetime with hypertension and diabetes for men was substantial (2.0 and 1.6 years, respectively). Furthermore, the expected lifetime without chronic disease at the age of 20 decreased for men (from 37.7 to 36.1 years).…”

“…3 In 2010, the unemployment rate was 23.7% in Palestine (17.2% in the West Bank and 37.8% in the Gaza Strip) 4 and 6.6% in Israel. 5 Although life expectancy at birth is higher in Palestine than in some Arab countries, it is $9 years shorter among Palestinians than Israelis, 6 and regardless of which indicator for welfare and sustainability is chosen, the situation in the occupied society is unfavourable and in stark contrast to the situation in the occupying power.…”

Variation in the Gender Gap in Inactive and Active Life Expectancy by the Definition of Inactivity Among Older Adults

“…Similar to the review mentioned above (Pongiglione et al, 2015), the extant literature on IALE and ALE, using ADLs and/or IADLs to define inactivity, provides only partial evidence for the male-female health survival paradox. While life expectancy and absolute and relative IALE are mostly higher for females, absolute ALE is also higher for females relative to males (Table 1; Andrade, Guevara, Lebrão, de Oliveira Duarte, & Santos, 2011;Branch et al, 1991;Camargos, Machado, & Do Nascimento Rodrigues, 2007;Cambois, Clavel, Romieu, & Robine, 2008;Chan, Zimmer, & Saito, 2011;Cheung & Yip, 2010;Crimmins, Hayward, & Saito, 1996;Guralnik, Land, Blazer, Fillenbaum, & Branch, 1993;Hashimoto et al, 2010;Ishizaki, Kai, Kobayashi, & Imanaka, 2002;Konno, Katsumata, Arai, & Tamashiro, 2004;Minicuci & Noale, 2005;Minicuci et al, 2011;Qlalweh, Duraidi, & Brønnum-Hansen, 2012;Reyes-Beaman et al, 2005;Rose, Hennis, & Hambleton, 2008;Solé-Auró, Beltrán-Sánchez, & Crimmins, 2015;Tsuji et al, 1995;Yong, Saito, & Chan, 2011;Zimmer, 2005). Furthermore, magnitude of the gender gap (female minus male) in absolute and relative IALE and absolute ALE varies across studies, even at the same age.…”