The findings of a new study are mostly positive.

Life expectancy has been steadily increasing for years. It means that more and more people are allowed to celebrate their 100th birthday. In 1990 there were still about 95,000 people of 100 years and older worldwide. In 2015, there were already half a million. And it is expected to number 3.7 million by 2050. In short; we are getting older these days. But to what extent do we also stay healthy longer?

Important question

According to researcher Holly Bennett, that’s an important question to figure out. “We were interested in both ‘health span’ and longevity,” she tells Scientias.nl† “In this way we can relate the length of life to the quality of life. While it is important that we can extend people’s lifespan, we also want to extend the number of healthy years so that they can continue with all the activities they enjoy.”

Study

In the study the researchers analyzed data from two large population studies, conducted among people aged 65 or older from England. The two surveys included interviews with 7,635 people between 1991 and 1993 and with 7,762 people during the period from 2008 to 2011, who were surveyed every two years.

Healthy for longer

The researchers make a wonderful discovery. Because it indeed seems very likely that we are not only getting older, but at the same time stay healthy for longer. Between 1991 and 2011, life expectancy for men increased by about 4.6 years. In addition, they stay healthy on average 3.7 years longer. Women live an average of 2.1 years older, while staying healthy for about 2 years longer.

Chronic conditions

Strikingly, it appears that the number of healthy years is even increasing for people who suffer from common chronic conditions. “A lot of progress has been made in healthcare, medicine and prevention in recent decades,” explains Bennett. And that has meant that nowadays people with common health problems not only live longer, but also have less chance of serious disabilities. “People with chronic conditions are therefore less likely to die, less likely to have a disability, and more likely to recover than previous generations,” Bennett summarizes.

Diseases

This appears to be especially true for men with breathing problems and those who have survived a stroke, the findings show. Even men with arthritis, heart disease and diabetes can live with it better today than previous generations. “So many positive steps have been taken,” said Bennett.

Cognitive disorders

The findings are mostly positive. But unfortunately not for everyone. For example, it appears that people with cognitive impairments are now allowed to add even fewer disability-free years to their lives. “Our study shows that while significant advances have been made in care and treatment for some conditions, this is not the case for people with cognitive impairment,” said Bennett. “Unfortunately, they do not experience any improvement.”

According to the researchers, there is work to be done. “As cognitive impairment is the only long-term condition in which prevalence has declined, this is a cause for concern and requires further research,” the authors write. “We need to bring greater equality to people of all health conditions,” says Bennett. “We hope our research will raise awareness that we need to do more for people with cognitive impairment.”