The burden of selected diseases among older people in Denmark

The study evaluated the health impact of specific diseases.

Life tables and health survey data are combined to estimate expected lifetime with and without long-standing illness. We compared estimates based on observed rates of mortality and prevalence of illness with those based on hypothetical rates from which a specific disease has been eliminated.

Life expectancy would increase by 4.0 years for 65-year-olds if circulatory diseases are eliminated, and the proportion of expected lifetime without long-standing, limiting illness would increase from 59.2% to 66.5% for men and from 52.2% to 55.6% for women. Elimination of musculoskeletal diseases would not change life expectancy but would increase the proportion of expected lifetime without long-standing illness.

Because of comorbidity, more years of illness are to be expected if lethal diseases are to be eliminated. Elimination of nonfatal diseases would mainly transfer years with long-standing illness to years without illness.