Expansion of morbidity: trends in healthy life expectancy of the elderly population

Objective: to analyze the changes in life expectancy (LE) and disability-free life expectancy (DFLE) in Sao Paulo's elderly population to assess the occurrence of compression or expansion of morbidity, between 2000 and 2010. Methods: cross-sectional and population survey, based on official data for the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and data obtained from the Health, Well-Being and Aging Survey (SABE). Functional disability was defined as difficulty in performing at least one basic activity of daily living. The Sullivan method was used to calculate LE and DFLE for the years 2000 to 2010. Results: from 2000 to 2010, there was an increase in disabled life expectancy (DLE) in all age groups and both sexes. The proportion of years of life free of disability, at 60 years of age, decreased from 57.94% to 46.23% in women, and from 75.34% to 63.65% in men. At 75 years of age, this ratio decreased from 47.55% to 34.54% in women, and from 61.31% to 56.01% in men. Conclusion: the expansion of morbidity is an ongoing process in the elderly population of the municipality of Sao Paulo, in the period of 2000-2010. These results can contribute to the development of preventive strategies and planning of adequate health services to future generations of seniors.