Inequalities in Life Expectancy and Healthy Life Expectancy in Korea: Gender and Educational Disparity

Health inequality is considered as a sensitive barometer of social inequality. Over the last decade, social inequality in Korea have becomes intensified in multiple dimensions, which could impact on distribution of population health.

Based on life expectancy (LE) and healthy life expectancy (HLE), we examined the health inequality cross social groups by gender and education over time. LE is the expected number of years of life remaining at a given age, derived from the current age-specific mortality rates. HLE is a composite measure of mortality and morbidity, to imply remaining years that a person of a certain age is expected to live without disability or in good health status. Through data linkage (death registration, population census, and nationwide sample survey for morbidity status), we calculated LE and HLE by abridged life table method and Sullivan method, respectively.

From 2000 to 2010, LE at birth of men and women increased from 67.9 to 74.3 years and from 77.4 to 82.2 years, respectively. As of 2010, women live 7.9 years more than men. However, gender gap in HLE was negligible; HLE at birth was 62.8 years for women and 62.7 years for men, respectively. Also, education disparity was apparent in 2010; for men with less than high school education, LE at 30 years old was 37 years, while that was 49 years for college graduated men. Similar pattern was observed among women; 49 years vs. 55 years. Such gap did not become narrower over the last decade in both genders.

These results imply differential experiences of morbidity and mortality across gender and socioeconomic groups. Social determinants beyond individual biological traits, and biological process of social influence within individuals should be explored.