title: Healthy life expectancy changes in Thailand, 2002-2007.
abstract: We investigate links between increasing longevity and health status in Thailand. Using data from 2002 and 2007 national surveys of the elderly, healthy life expectancies at older ages were estimated. Change depended on health indicator, gender and age. Self-reported health and self-care disability showed expansion of morbidity. Mobility disability change indicated compression but a wording change means this may be an artefact. We compare these findings with the 1990 and 2010 results of the Global Burden of Disease study. Using HLE based on disease prevalence, the GBD found that Thailand experienced small longevity gains and morbidity compression. Our findings suggest these results should be treated with caution, as, since 2000, Thailand has introduced universal health care.
authors.affiliation: College of Population Studies, Chulalongkorn University, Visid Prachuabmoh Building, Bangkok 10330, Thailand. Electronic address: Rukchanok.K@chula.ac.th.
authors.forename: Rukchanok
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Karcharnubarn
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rees
authors.forename: Myles
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gould
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008017:Life Expectancy / Q000639:trends*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013785:Thailand
keywords: Disability; Elderly population; Healthy life expectancy; Thailand