Expansion of morbidity: trends in healthy life expectancy of the elderly population

Abstract

Conflict of interest: noneObjective: to analyze the changes in life expectancy (LE) and disability-free life expectancy (DFLE) in São Paulo's elderly population to assess the occurrence of compression or expansion of morbidity, between 2000 and 2010. Methods: cross-sectional and population survey, based on official data for the city of São Paulo, Brazil, and data obtained from the Health, Well-Being and Aging Survey (SABE). Functional disability was defined as difficulty in performing at least one basic activity of daily living. The Sullivan method was used to calculate LE and DFLE for the years 2000 to 2010. Results: from 2000 to 2010, there was an increase in disabled life expectancy (DLE) in all age groups and both sexes. The proportion of years of life free of disability, at 60 years of age, decreased from 57.94% to 46.23% in women, and from 75.34% to 63.65% in men. At 75 years of age, this ratio decreased from 47.55% to 34.54% in women, and from 61.31% to 56.01% in men. Conclusion: the expansion of morbidity is an ongoing process in the elderly population of the municipality of São Paulo, in the period of 2000-2010. These results can contribute to the development of preventive strategies and planning of adequate health services to future generations of seniors.

Disability-free life expectancy and life expectancy in good self-rated health in Chile: Gender differences and compression of morbidity between 2009 and 2016

“…Chilean older women expected to live a lower proportion of their lives without disability and a higher proportion with disabilities, compared to men. Similar findings have been reported in other countries by previous studies [38,40,58]. In 2009, LE with mild or severe disability was higher for women.…”

“…Disability-free life expectancy (DFLE) has been used to monitor health expectancies of the population in the United States [31,32] and Europe [33][34][35] over the past several decades. Several studies on DFLE including Latin American populations exist [36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45], but only two studies have reported DFLE among Chilean older people, and they have focused on the population living in Santiago [46,47]. Estimations of LE in good SRH and DFLE at national level and comparisons over time are needed.…”

Falls among the non-institutionalized elderly in northern Minas Gerais, Brazil: prevalence and associated factors

“…Although functional disability is not inherent in the aging process, 3 as individuals age, the chance of suffering injuries caused by accidents increases. 4 Studies show that such injuries are among the leading causes of death among older people and falls account for up to two thirds of accidents involving the elderly, representing one of the main predictors of morbidity and mortality. [5][6][7][8] Falls in elderly people may indicate the beginning of frailty or acute disease.…”

Elderly people receiving care through an aeromedical service

“…One of the aspects most evident in the aging process is the physical disabilities and degree of dependence of the elderly. While functional disability is not inherent to the aging process 14 , as an individual ages, the chances of suffering injuries from accidents increase 15 . Studies have shown that such injuries are among the main causes of death in elderly people and that falls represent up to two-thirds of accidents with the elderly, becoming one of the main predictors of morbidity and mortality 16,17 .…”