Gender gaps in healthy life expectancy as indicators of inequality for disability and chronic disease: cross-sectional evidence from 24 countries, years 2014-2019.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Gender gaps in healthy life expectancy are frequently used as indicators of health inequality between women and men. However, total gaps can be misleading-masking critical disparities such as women living longer yet spending more years with disability or illness, or men experiencing premature mortality. We therefore critically evaluate whether these gaps accurately capture gender-based health.

Design

We estimate gender gaps in disability- and chronic disease-free life expectancy using the Sullivan method and decompose those gaps via the continuous-change approach to distinguish mortality from morbidity contributions. Data are drawn from the harmonised Gateway to Global Aging Data and the UN life tables from the 2022 Revision of World Population Prospects for all co

SUBMITTER: Di Lego V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12636968 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature