Social inequalities in disability-free and healthy life expectancy in Austria

The purpose of this study is to describe socioeconomic differences in the health status and mortality of the Austrian population. Socioeconomic differentials in disability and self-perceived health are studied on the basis of educational groups. The data are drawn from the 1991 Austrian micro-census on health and from linked death and census records for the years 1981/82. The maximum number of years lived between ages 30 and 75 is divided into years lost, years lived in disability or poor health and years lived without disability or in good health. Our findings clearly indicate a correlation between higher education and higher life expectancy and lower morbidity. Comparing the two indicators, more years are lived in poor health than in severe functional disability. The two concepts of health lead to different conclusions when results for men and women are compared: women live more years in disability than men but fewer years in poor health. Differences between educational groups are lower when the concept of self-perceived health is applied.