scotPHO introduction:
  Amenable Mortality
  Deaths
  Healthy Life Expectancy
Key points
  Introduction
  Policy context
  Data
  Key data sources
  References
  Useful links
  Migration
  Population Estimates & Forecasts
  Pregnancy & births
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Healthy life expectancy: key points

Whereas life expectancy (LE) is an estimate of how many years a person might be expected to live, healthy life expectancy (HLE) is an estimate of how many years they might live in ‘good’ health.

  • LE and HLE at birth in Scotland have both improved over recent years, but the gap between them (the years expected to be spent in ‘not good’ health during the average lifetime) has also tended to increase, particularly for males.
  • There are considerable variations in LE and HLE in Scotland between males and females and among different geographical and socio-economic groupings.
  • LE and HLE are both worse (lower) in Scotland than in the UK as a whole.
  • Scotland has one of the lowest LEs in Western Europe. International comparisons of HLE are hampered by the lack of consistent health measures. However, on the basis of a related indicator, disability-free life expectancy, Scotland would appear to compare poorly with many Western European countries, particularly for men.

 

Section updates:

  • The last major update of this section (including previously unpublished 2008 data for Scotland and 2007-08 data for Deprivation quintiles) was completed in November 2009.
  • The next major update is due to be carried out by end December 2010.