Socioeconomic differences in health expectancy in Denmark

Background: Social differences in mortality rates reported in Denmark gave rise to the present study of health expectancy in different socioeconomic g roups, Methods: Data on health status and occupation were derived from Heal th interview Surveys. Information on occupation and deaths is register data . Health expectancy in each socioeconomic group was calculated using Sulliv an's method. Results: Among 30-year-old men, high-level salaried employees had the longest expected lifetime in perceived good health, 41 years, which amounts to 89% of life expectancy, compared to 34 years (73%) for farmers, 32 years (73%) for unskilled workers, and 19 years (56%) for economically inactive men. Expected lifetime in perceived good health for high-level sal aried female employees from age 30 was 46 years (91% of life expectancy). T he lowest was found for assisting spouses, 36 years (71%) and economically inactive women, 25 years (56%). Large differences were also found when data on long-standing illness were used. Conclusion: The differences between so cioeconomic groups are greater for health expectancy than for life expectan cy.