An article said that lower-educated individuals in European countries not only had shorter life expectancies but also faced greater uncertainty about the age at which they would die. More priority should be given to efforts to reduce the risk of an early death among lower-educated groups, for example by strengthening protective policies within and outside the healthcare system.
Source: Alyson van Raalte, Anton Kunst, Patrick Deboosere, Mall Leinsalu, Olle Lundberg, Pekka Martikainen, Bjorn Heine Strand, Barbara Artnik, Bogdan Wojtyniak, and Johan Mackenbach, 'More variation in lifespan in lower educated groups: evidence from 10 European countries', International Journal of Epidemiology, Volume 40 Number 6
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Dec
An article examined the effect of different assumptions about future trends in life expectancy on the sustainability of the pensions and long-term care systems.
Source: Juliette Malley, Ruth Hancock, Mike Murphy, John Adams, Raphael Wittenberg, Adelina Comas-Herrer, Chris Curry, Derek King, Sean James, Marcello Morciano, and Linda Pickard, 'The effect of lengthening life expectancy on future pension and long-term care expenditure in England, 2007 to 2032', Health Statistics Quarterly 52, Winter 2011, Office for National Statistics
Links: Article
Date: 2011-Nov
A report examined changes in life expectancy at birth and at age 65 by local area between 2004-2006 and 2008-2010. On average, life expectancy at birth had improved by 1.2 years for males and 1.0 year for females. But the gap between the local areas with the highest and lowest life expectancies had increased: at birth it had increased from 12.5 to 13.5 years for males, and from 10.1 to 11.8 years for females.
Source: Life Expectancy at Birth and at Age 65 by Local Areas in the United Kingdom, 2004-06 to 2008-10, Office for National Statistics
Links: Report | TUC press release | Guardian report
Date: 2011-Oct
A statistical bulletin presented the latest figures on the likelihood of living until the age of 75 (for England and Wales, regions, and local areas, for 2003-2005 to 2007-2009). In 2007-2009 males had a 68.4 per cent chance of surviving to age 75, and females had a 78.6 per cent chance – an increase from the 2003-2005 figures of 65.1 per cent and 76.5 per cent respectively.
Source: Probability of Survival to Age 75 for Local Areas in England and Wales, 2003-05 to 2007-09, Office for National Statistics
Links: Bulletin | TUC press release | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2011-Jun
A statistical bulletin presented figures for male and female period life expectancy at birth and at age 65 for primary care areas. Life expectancy at birth improved from 76.5 to 77.9 years for males, and from 80.9 to 82.0 years for females, between 2003-2005 and 2007-2009. Life expectancy at age 65 also improved, from 16.7 to 17.8 years for men and from 19.4 to 20.4 years for women.
Source: Life Expectancy at Birth and at Age 65 for Health Areas in the United Kingdom, 2003-05 to 2007-09, Office for National Statistics
Links: TUC press release | BBC report | Guardian report
Notes: Link to report removed by ONS without explanation.
Date: 2011-Jun
An article examined the potential of the Annual Population Survey to provide robust estimates of disability-free life expectancy for men and women by clusters of area deprivation, English regions, and local authority districts.
Source: Michael Smith, Olugbenga Olatunde, and Chris White, 'Disability-free life expectancy: comparison of sources and small area estimates in England, 2006-08', Health Statistics Quarterly 50, Summer 2011, Office for National Statistics
Links: Article
Date: 2011-May
An article examined trends in life expectancy in European countries since 1970. All western European countries had shown increases in life expectancy: but the countries of central and eastern Europe, Russia, and other parts of the former Soviet Union had had a very different, and altogether more negative, experience.
Source: David Leon, 'Trends in European life expectancy: a salutary view', International Journal of Epidemiology, Volume 40 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Apr
An article examined the challenges involved in producing an analogous series of trends in life expectancy by National Statistics Socio-economic Classification (NS-SEC) to that by Registrar General's social class (RGSC). A linked bulletin said that the greatest growth in life expectancy at birth for males between 1982-1986 and 2002-2006 was experienced by those assigned to the lower managerial and professional class, at 5.3 years. The least growth in life expectancy was in the two least advantaged classes – semi-routine and routine occupations – at 3.8 and 3.9 years respectively.
Source: Brian Johnson, 'Deriving trends in life expectancy by the National Statistics Socio-economic Classification using the ONS Longitudinal Study', Health Statistics Quarterly 49, Spring 2011, Office for National Statistics | Trends in Life Expectancy by the National Statistics Socio-Economic Classification 1982-2006, Office for National Statistics
Links: Article | Bulletin | ONS press release
Date: 2011-Feb