Much attention has been paid in recent years to life expectancy, particularly in the United States, where it remains lower than in many other industrialised nations that spend less on healthcare.
But with data suggesting 79 per cent of American adults aged 60 and older have two or more chronic illnesses – such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure – and more than half of young adults reporting at least one chronic condition, health experts are turning their focus to not only how long people manage to stay alive, but also the number of years they can expect to do so free of disease.
That is called a health span. And, like US lifespans, these too have been shrinking.
“We’re talking about those years that are free from any significant chronic disease or any significant disability that might affect one’s quality of life,” she says.
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