Life Expectancy: Function, Tasks, Role & Diseases

Life expectancy is calculated on statistical bases and always refers to a population in the same geographical area with the same living conditions. It is determined with the help of mortality tables. In addition, life expectancy is always valid only at the specific time and may change over time.

What is life expectancy?

Life expectancy indicates the average amount of time a living being can be expected to live from a defined period of time. Life expectancy is the average length of time a living being is expected to live after a defined period of time. It is determined with the aid of a mortality table, which is based on past mortality statistics and model assumptions for the future. In most cases, life expectancy is calculated from the period of birth, so that it covers the entire life span of a human being. However, with higher age, statistically the life expectancy of the still living population of the corresponding age group increases. This is due to the fact that those in this age group who have already died are no longer included in the statistics from the calculation period onwards. The calculation of life expectancy is based on the extrapolation of current living conditions into the future. However, the life expectancy to be calculated may change at any time due to changes in living conditions.

Influence

Life expectancy is influenced by many factors. These factors result, for example, from local, cultural, and general life circumstances. Therefore, in order to determine in detail how long the life span of a currently living person still is statistically, local influences should be recorded in addition to influences from society as a whole. Local influences are expressed, for example, in the given environmental conditions. Among other things, it is crucial for people to know whether they are constantly exposed to pollutants from traffic or surrounding industrial plants. Does he live in the city or in the country? How high is the stress level at work? What other occupationally harmful influences are there? Medical care in the relevant residential area also plays a role. These are factors that are local in origin. General factors refer to the given economic living conditions of the whole country, the general medical progress, the nutritional situation or the general health consciousness. The basic economic living conditions have improved significantly in contrast to previous generations. Thus, economic emergencies leading to famines are ruled out today in all Western industrialized countries. Even warlike conflicts, which used to influence general life expectancy, no longer take place in Western Europe today. Health care has made revolutionary progress in combating serious fatal infectious diseases. Many infectious diseases can now be well controlled by antibiotics or have been almost eradicated by mass vaccination. Disease control in particular has greatly increased life expectancy in recent decades. Infant mortality has also decreased drastically. On the other hand, many so-called diseases of civilization occur at an advanced age, which can be traced back to an unhealthy lifestyle, such as overeating, lack of exercise or smoking. However, medical progress has already gone so far as to greatly reduce the number of deaths from these diseases. This is also increasing overall life expectancy. The greatest risks of dying prematurely today are posed by such factors as obesity, smoking, lack of exercise, high blood pressure or diabetes. Furthermore, there are also genetic factors that influence life expectancy. In addition, gender differences have been identified. Statistically, men die earlier than women. This can have many causes. For example, men often take higher risks and thus suffer accidents more often than women. More often than women, men are also exposed to higher risks at work and accordingly often fall ill with occupational diseases. Until recently, moreover, men’s health awareness was less pronounced than that of women. However, biological factors may also play a role in the difference in life expectancy between the sexes. Hormonal and genetic causes are being discussed. The male sex hormone, for example, is thought to promote the development of arteriosclerosis and thrombosis.In addition, the male has only one X chromosome, while the Y chromosome contains only sex-relevant information. If, for example, genetic errors occur on the genes of the X chromosome, they cannot be compensated for by a second X chromosome. The resulting diseases may shorten the life expectancy of many men.

Diseases and disorders

However, an increase in life expectancy does not automatically mean an increase in quality of life. Although many diseases no longer cause death immediately, the likelihood of developing chronic diseases increases with age. These diseases often drastically limit the quality of life. For example, rheumatic diseases often develop, which are accompanied by movement restrictions. Furthermore, chronic cardiovascular diseases often develop. In many cases, senile dementia also develops. The need for care increases in parallel with rising life expectancy. In the coming years, medicine will therefore face the growing challenge of treating these so-called degenerative diseases in such a way that the quality of life is maintained or restored. There are already several indications of this. With regard to Alzheimer’s disease, there are hopeful approaches for the development of an active substance that can at least stop the disease. However, much more research will be needed in this area. Significant progress has also been made in controlling cardiovascular diseases, for example through the introduction of new types of pacemakers. In principle, medical progress will make it possible to achieve significant therapeutic success in all age-related diseases. However, not only medicine but also changes in health consciousness must contribute to maintaining quality of life by preventing age-related diseases in addition to increasing life expectancy.