Healthy life expectancy from age 65

In Switzerland, healthy life expectancy increased continuously between 1992 and 2022. For men it rose from 11.1 to 14.4 years and for women from 11.9 to 14.9 years.

This indicator is part of the Monitoring System Addiction and NCD (MonAM) of the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH).

Assigned topics

Social aspects

Adults (15+)

Elderly people

This indicator shows the numbers of years of life a person can expect to live in good health. The fewer limitations a person has in old age, the longer they can live and look after themselves without depending, or to a lesser extent, on assistance or institutions. Differences in healthy life expectancy provide an initial indication of unequal living conditions (lifestyle, social status or influence of mental factors).

The indicator provides important information on the ageing process and living conditions within the population and as society continues to age is likely to prove invaluable in the planning of future health provision.

Definition

This indicator was calculated on the basis of data from the Swiss Health Survey (SHS, n₂₀₂₂≈ 22 000) and the Vital statistics (BEVNAT). It is updated every five years.

The indicator shows healthy life expectancy from age 65. The Sullivan (1971) method is used for the calculation, which takes into account the following information for persons aged 65 and over:

Number of deaths in the corresponding year (BEVNAT)
Permanent resident population in the corresponding year (BEVNAT)
Prevalence of people in good or very good health in the corresponding year, as determined by the following SHS-question: "How is your health in general? Is it very good / good / average / poor / very poor?" The two response categories "good" and "very good" were taken into account.

Time series break in 2012: In 2012, the SHS-questionnaire was revised and the response categories differ from those used until 2007 and from 2017 onwards. Therefore, the data from 2012 cannot be compared with the data from the other survey years. Furthermore, the questions were modified several times up until 2012, which also limits the comparability of the individual survey years up to that point.

Sources

Federal Statistical Office (FSO): Swiss Health Survey (in German, French and Italian)
Federal Statistical Office (FSO): Vital Statistics BEVNAT

Reference

Sullivan, D. F. (1971). A single index of mortality and morbiditiy. HSMHA Health Reports, 86 (4): 347–354: Publication

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Last updated

23/10/2024