Trends in disability-free life expectancy among Chinese older adults

This study evaluates trends in disability-free life expectancy (DFLE) of Chinese adults aged 60 and older.

Based on two national disability surveys in 1987 and 2006 as well as mortality data from World Population Prospects, the Sullivan method was used to calculate DFLE.

DFLE increased from 13.0 to 13.9 years at age 60 and from 1.2 to 1.5 years at age 90 in 1987 and 2006, respectively. The proportion of DFLE increased after age 75. The proportion of DLE(x) with severe disability decreased while that of least disability increased. Onset of disability was delayed from 0.3 years to 4.7 years across disability types.

Trends in DFLE by age and severity of disability as well as the delayed onset of disability provide evidence for the compression of morbidity among the oldest old in China. But a similar trend was not found among the young-old.