Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, Vol 50, Issue 3 M173-M176, Copyright © 1995 by The Gerontological Society of America
Active life expectancy among elderly Japanese
I Tsuji, Y Minami, A Fukao, S Hisamichi, H Asano and M Sato
Department of Public Health, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
BACKGROUND. This study estimated the active life expectancy (ALE) among the
elderly in a Japanese urban society to determine whether or not the
Japanese live long lives at the expense of life quality. METHODS. Survival
and ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) were followed up
on a probability sample (n = 3,459) of the aged people living in Sendai
City, Japan, between 1988 and 1991. ALE was calculated by an
increment-decrement life table method. RESULTS. At age 65, ALE was 14.7
years for men and 17.7 years for women. The duration of active life
occupied 91% of the total life expectancy for men and 87% for women. These
values were further compared with those reported for the elderly in the
United States. ALE among the Japanese subjects was longer than that among
the American elderly. The percentage of remaining life that was active was
comparable with that in the United States. However, the interpretation of
the results requires caution because of the difficulty in comparing
self-reported disabilities across cultures. CONCLUSION. The authors
conclude that it is premature at this time to judge which country is better
in terms of functional status among the elderly. An international
comparison of ALE would create an opportunity to evaluate and promote
health and function of the elderly population worldwide. For this purpose,
an international standardization of ALE measurement is urgently needed.
