[Compression or expansion of morbidity? Development of health among the older population]

Within the context of demographic change, the development of morbidity among the older population has increasingly gained importance. In this respect, three different scenarios of the development of morbidity are discussed: the compression of morbidity, the dynamic equilibrium, and the expansion of morbidity.

This paper investigates in which way subjective and functional health have developed among the older population between 1997 and 2010.

Using German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP) data, the developments of subjective and functional health are examined in cross-sectional comparisons. The age groups between 65 and 89 are considered. Analyses are stratified according to gender and age.

In comparing different cohorts, men and women from younger cohorts report better subjective and functional health compared to people born before them. Concerning subjective health, this trend mostly affects younger people (65-74 years). Elderly subjects (aged 75-89 years) in the cohort comparison between 1997 and 2010 report no improvements in subjective health. In contrast, functional health between the cohorts affected all age groups in a similar manner.

Results for subjective and functional health are consistent with the compression of morbidity and the dynamic equilibrium and they do not point towards an expansion of morbidity.