What is Life expectancy - Meaning and definition

Published by Roberto Wenk. Reviewed by Alison Ramsey. Last updated date: January 8, 2019.

The expected number of years remaining to be lived by persons of a particular age. Life expectancy is affected by all sorts of thing, particularly behavior and lifestyle. For instance, being obese reduces life expectancy.
Life expectancy is also used in calculating quality-adjusted life years (QALYs).

Bandolier. EBM glossary. Internet. Accessed July 3, 2009.

Published by Roberto Wenk. Reviewed by Alison Ramsey. Last updated date: January 8, 2019.

The number of years that one is expected to live as determined by statistics.
The probable number of years a person will live after a given age, as determined by mortality in a specific geographic area. It may be individually qualified by the person's condition or race, sex, age, or other demographic factors.

Worldwide projections for 2030 based on 2002 data predict an overall increase in life expectancy from 65 to 70. But is some areas, like sub-Saharan Africa, life expectancy will be far behind the rest of the world (below 55 in 2030) due to AIDS, war, and poverty.
Causes of death that are expected to increase worldwide in 2030 are circulatory diseases, COPD, diabetes mellitus, and lung, stomach, liver, and colorectal cancers.

Sands MB, Piza M, Ingham JM. The Epidemiology of the End-of-life Experience. Hanks G, Cherny NI, Christakis NA, Fallon M, Kaasa S, Portenoy RK (Ed).Oxford Textbook of Palliative Medicine. Oxford University Press, 4th ed, 2010, pp. 58-80.

Life expectancy

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