TRENDS IN HEALTH EXPECTANCY IN DENMARK, 1987-1994

Objective: To estimate health expectancy in Denmark and evaluate chang es during the period 1987-1994. Design: Life-table figures from vital statistics combined with prevalence data of population health status d erived from the Danish Health Interview Surveys carried out in 1987, 1 991, and 1994. Setting and subjects: The Danish population aged 16 yea rs and over, Main outcome measures: Health expectancy calculated by Su llivan's method combining mortality and morbidity into a single indica tor. This indicator estimates the average lifetime in good health. Rel ating health expectancy to life expectancy gives a measure of the prop ortion of lifetime in good health. Results: Although life expectancy h as remained stable since the beginning of the 1980s health expectancy has changed slightly ol er the period 1987-1994, with a positive trend for men but a negative one for women. Conclusion: The results underli ne the concern about the health of Danish women expressed in recent Se ars. Health expectancy could be increased by successful prevention of musculo-skeletal diseases, a which account for the highest proportion of lifetime with long-standing illness.