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Changes in morbidity over time: Evidence from Europe

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  • Heger, Dörte
  • Kolodziej, Ingo W.K.

Abstract

The elderly are the main beneficiaries of recent gains in life expectancy in the EU. Whether the additional life time is spent in good or in poor health will drastically influence the development of health care costs as morbidity status rather than age per se determines an individual's need for health care services. However, empirical evidence on whether the prolonged lifespan is associated with a compression or an extension of morbidity is still sparse and inconclusive. In this paper, we analyse disability levels in the population 50+ in Europe by age and by proximity to death over time using longitudinal data from the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). We find that disability levels in Europe have increased due to population ageing and an increase in the prevalence of diseases. The disabling effect of health conditions remained constant over time.

Suggested Citation

  • Heger, Dörte & Kolodziej, Ingo W.K., 2016. "Changes in morbidity over time: Evidence from Europe," Ruhr Economic Papers 640, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:rwirep:640
    DOI: 10.4419/867887425
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Leandro Prados de la Escosura, 2018. "Well-being Inequality in the Long Run," Working Papers 0131, European Historical Economics Society (EHES).
    2. Paweł A. Strzelecki, 2019. "Health, disability and labor force participation trends in Poland," Gospodarka Narodowa. The Polish Journal of Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, issue 3, pages 31-53.
    3. Leandro Prados de la Escosura, 2023. "Inequality Beyond GDP: A Long View," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 69(3), pages 533-554, September.
    4. repec:cte:whrepe:27073 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Stefan Greß & Klaus Stegmüller & Sabine Strüder & Dörte Heger & Thomas Gerlinger, 2017. "Abschluss der Pflegereform: Ist die Pflegeversicherung zukunftsfest?," ifo Schnelldienst, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 70(05), pages 03-15, March.
    6. Jean-Victor Alipour, 2016. "Kurz zum Klima: Smart Grids und Smart Markets – das Stromsystem der Zukunft," ifo Schnelldienst, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 69(13), pages 60-64, July.
    7. repec:cte:whrepe:32049 is not listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    ageing; compression of morbidity; Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • J11 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Demographic Trends, Macroeconomic Effects, and Forecasts
    • J14 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped; Non-Labor Market Discrimination

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