Australians can now expect to enjoy longer lives with more years free of
disability, according to a report released by the Australian Institute of
Health and Welfare (AIHW).The report, Healthy life expectancy in Australia: patterns and trends 1998 to 2012, shows the gains in the number of expected years living free of disability were related to a combination of increasing longevity and decreases in disability prevalence rates.
Between 1998 and 2012, life expectancy at birth has risen by 4 years for boys and nearly 3 years for girls. And because disability prevalence rates have been falling over this period, the gain in disability-free life expectancy has been even greater for boys (4.4 years, compared with 2.4 years for girls). Older Australians have also seen increases in the expected number of healthy years, but this has been accompanied by more years needing assistance with everyday activities.
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