Trends in Disability-Free Life Expectancy (DFLE) from 1995 to 2017 in the older Norwegian population by sex and education: The HUNT Study
Abstract
Aim:
Understanding whether increasing Life Expectancy (LE) translates to improved health and function among older adults is essential, but results are inconclusive. We aimed to estimate trends in Disability-Free Life Expectancy (DFLE) in the older Norwegian population by sex and education from 1995 to 2017.
Method:
National life table data were combined with cross-sectional data on functional ability for 70+ year-olds from the population-based Trøndelag Health Surveys 2-4 (1995–1997, 2006–2008 and 2017–2019) (n=24,733). Self-reported functional ability was assessed on a graded scale by a combination of Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) such as paying bills, going out or shopping (mild disability) and Personal Activities of Daily Living (PADL) such as washing, dressing or eating (severe disability). LE, DFLE, Mild-Disability LE and Severe-Disability LE at age 70 were estimated by the Sullivan method.
Results:
From 1995 to 2017 DFLE at age 70 increased from 8.4 to 13.0 years in women, and from 8.0 to 12.1 years in men. DFLE increased in the basic and high educational groups, but more so in the high educational group among men. Educational inequalities in years spent with disability however, remained low.
Conclusions:
From the mid-1990s and over the past three decades both LE and DFLE at 70 years increased in the older Norwegian population, for both men and women, and across basic and high educational levels. Educational inequalities in DFLE increased, especially in men, but years spent with disability were similar across the three decades.
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Data availability statement
The Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT) has invited persons aged 13–100 years to four surveys between 1994 and 2019. Comprehensive data from more than 150,000 persons having participated at least once and biological material from 100,000 persons are collected. The data are stored in HUNT databank and biological material in HUNT biobank. HUNT Research Centre has been given concession to store and handle these data by the Norwegian Data Inspectorate. The key identification in the data base is the unique personal identification number given to all Norwegians at birth or immigration, while de-identified data are sent to researchers. Owing to confidentiality HUNT Research Centre wants to limit storage of data outside HUNT databank, and we have restrictions for researchers for handling of HUNT data files. We have precise information on all data exported to different projects, and there are no restrictions regarding data export given approval of applications to HUNT Research Centre (http://www.ntnu.edu/hunt/data).
Microdata is a collaboration by Norwegian Centre for Research Data (NSD) and Statistics Norway (SSB). The service provides access to anonymous register data from SSB. Researchers and students at approved research institutions can be registered to gain access to the data (https://microdata.no/).
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Article first published online: April 28, 2021
Issue published: July 2022
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PubMed: 33908292
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