Life span and life expectancy

birth rate - the number of births per 1,000 population death rate - the number of deaths per 1,000 people of a given age median age – half the population is above and half is below the median age - Life Expectancy migration – movement into (immigration) or out of (emigration) the country or area population aging – an increase in the number of older people in a society, an increase in the proportion of older people in a society Demographic : Terms

Lifespan vs. Life expectancy Lifespan is the maximum an organism can live to Life expectancy is the median (half of the population live to that point)

Morbidity hypotheses Compression of Morbidity (CM) hypothesis:  people who practice healthy habits will be more likely to live free of disabling diseases and injuries up until the last few months of life Increasing Misery (IM) hypothesis:  preventive health measures will extend life expectancy but will also increase the number of infirm years Question length or quality of life?

…World trends in population aging Prediction… by 2025: number of people 65+ to be 761 million (one out of every 7 people will be 69+)* substantial differences between industrialized/developed and developing countries  largest growth: Europe, North America  least growth of older population: Africa, Latin America * World Health Organization

Factors influencing life expectancy

Immunization, Public Health and Demography Good safe water, varied diet, and hygienic conditions reduce infant mortality Immunization and other low cost health measures reduce childhood mortality causing a “baby boom”. Lower infant mortality rates lead to a reduction in fertility. Eventually, health improvements lower reduce adult mortality rates and lead to an aging population.

Evidence that health influences income Ghana – 1cm extra height due to childhood health and nutrition adds 6% to adult wage rate. Peru – each day of illness in the last month related to childhood health and nutrition reduces the wage rate earned by 7.5%.

Health as Human Capital Health is a form of human capital that adds to individual productivity and national GDP QUESTION: HOW DO YOU BECOME HEALTHY?

Wealth and Health Education result in higher income, better health

Life expectancy & income in 1990

Education to Health to Income: better education better nutrition better access to safe water and sanitation better hygiene better access to health care

Life expectancy at birth