What is Health Expectancy according to Sullivan’s method?

The concept of health expectancies as health indicators was proposed by Sanders (1964) and the first example was published in a report of the US Department of Health Education and Welfare (Sullivan, 1971). This report contained preliminary estimates of Disability-Free Life Expectancy calculated using a method devised by Sullivan and applicable to any state of health definition (source: Jagger et al., 2006).

The Sullivan health expectancy reflects the current health of a real population adjusted for mortality levels and independent of the age structure. Health expectancy calculated by Sullivan’s method is the number of remaining years, at a particular age, which an individual can expect to live in a healthy state (however health may be defined). For example, in 2004 in Belgium, women at age 65 could expect to live a further 20.0 years of which 12.4 years (62%) would be spent without disability (source: Jagger et al., 2006).

What information is required to calculate the Sullivan health expectancy?

The data required are the age-specific prevalence (proportions) of the population in healthy and unhealthy states (often obtained from cross-sectional surveys), and age-specific mortality information taken from a period life table. Sullivan health expectancy is not very sensitive to the size of the age groups, meaning that an abridged life table may be used. Generally, it is preferable to use five- (sometimes ten-) year age intervals because most surveys used to derive the age-specific proportions (prevalence) in healthy and unhealthy states are too small to allow smaller age intervals. This is particularly important at the higher ages and it is usual to include the final age interval as 85 years and over (source: Jagger et al., 2006).

Also see:

Healthy Life Years Expectancy - disability-free life expectancy: Method

Health Expectancy Calculation by the Sullivan Method: A Practical Guide (EHEMU)