Are We Living Longer and Healthier Lives? Recent Trends in Mortality and Morbidity in Catalonia (Spain), 1994-2011

Aïda Solé-Auró, Institut National d'Études Démographiques (INED)
Manuela Alcañiz, Universitat de Barcelona

Evidence on trends in prevalence of disease and disability can clarify whether countries are experiencing a compression or expansion of morbidity. The prevalence of chronic diseases and risk factors appears to have been increasing in both Europe and other developed countries indicating an expansion of morbidity as indicated by disease. This paper examines whether there has been an expansion/compression of morbidity in Spain. It uses trends in mortality and morbidity from major causes of death and links of these with mortality to provide estimates of life expectancy with and without diseases. The analysis uses a repeated-cross-sectional Spanish health survey in 2001 and 2009, mortality information comes from the National-Statistics-Institute-database. Increasing survival among people with diseases can lead to a higher prevalence of diseases in the older population. Higher prevalence of health problems can lead to greater pressure on the health care system and a growing burden of disease for individuals.