Trends in life expectancy in wellbeing

Objectives: This paper describes and discusses trends in life expectancy in wellbeing between 1989 and 1998. Methods: Data on wellbeing by the Bradburn Affect Balance Scale is obtained from the Netherlands Continuous Health Interview Surveys for the calendar years from 1989 to 1998. Using Sullivan's method, life expectancy in wellbeing is calculated. Results: For males at the age of 16, life expectancy in wellbeing increases significantly from 52.7 years in 1989 (90.1% of the total life expectancy) to 54.4 years in 1998 (90.8%). This increase is almost completely caused by the increase in total life expectancy. For females at the age of 16, life expectancy in wellbeing raises significant from 54.4 years in 1989 (84.1%) to 56.2 years in 1998 (86.3%). This increase is almost completely caused by a decrease in the number of years in a state of distress. For both males and females at the age of 65, the significant increase of life expectancy in wellbeing exceeds the increase in total life expectancy and is mainly caused by the decrease in number of years in distress. Conclusion: Contrary to life expectancy in good perceived health and to disability free life expectancy - which show a decreasing trend - the overall wellbeing of the population is increasing. It seems that aspects in human life that contribute to wellbeing or quality of life other than physical health are gaining in importance. This makes life expectancy in wellbeing a less appropriate instrument to monitor changes in population health, but a useful instrument to measure population quality of life.