The Population, Society and Inequality Colloquium Series presents

“Are We Really Living Longer Healthier Years? A Case of the Japanese Elderly”
with Yasuhiko Saito, Professor of Human Development Science, Nihon University, Japan

Tuesday, November 13, 2012
12:30-1:30 p.m.
Social Science Plaza B, Room 4250

Over the last 20 years, life expectancy at birth increased about 3.5 years for males and 4.5 years for females in Japan.  However, we are not certain the increases in the life expectancy are due to increases in healthy years. A recent study indicates that healthy life expectancy estimated based on self-rated health indicator has decreased in Japan from 1995 to 2004. This suggests that increases in life expectancy which is a measure of quantity of life, do not accompanied with increases in healthy years which is a measure of quality of life. Another study on active life expectancy which is also the measure of quality of life shows mixed results by gender from 1987 to 2003 for the elderly population. Although the length of actively life expectancy increased between 1987 and 2003, the proportion of years in active life to total life expectancy stayed the same for males but increased for females over the period. Using two longitudinal studies conducted in Japan, Saito  examines the changes in health trajectory over the period between 1987 and 2006 for older adults in Japan.

This event is sponsored by the Center for Demographic and Social Analysis.

For further information, please contact Jayne Lee Yang, jayne.lee@uci.edu or 949-824-2566.