Malta has emerged as the top country in the European Union for healthy life expectancy, according to the latest data from Eurostat. As Europeans enjoy longer lifespans and face the challenges of an ageing population, the focus has increasingly shifted toward ensuring quality of life in old age. Malta’s performance in this area highlights its strong healthcare system and effective support for healthy ageing.
What is Healthy Life Expectancy?
Healthy life expectancy refers to the number of years an individual is expected to live without disabilities or limitations that affect daily life. This measure is a crucial indicator of how well countries are supporting the health and well-being of their citizens as they grow older.
Malta Tops the Rankings for Both Genders
The 2022 analysis reveals that Malta leads the EU in healthy life expectancy for both men and women. Women in Malta can expect to live 70.3 healthy years, while men can anticipate 70.1 years of good health. This is a remarkable achievement, especially when considering the nearly universal healthcare coverage in Malta, which plays a key role in preventing and managing chronic health conditions among older adults.
For women, Bulgaria (68.9), Slovenia (68.5), Italy (67.8), and Greece (67.8) follow Malta as the top performers. Meanwhile, men in Sweden (67.5), Italy (67.1), Greece (66.2), Cyprus (65.7), and Ireland (65.2) also experience relatively long periods of good health as they age.
The Countries Struggling with Healthy Ageing
At the other end of the spectrum, Denmark ranks lowest for women in healthy life expectancy, despite having a robust public health system. Danish women can expect just 54.6 years of good health, a figure impacted by higher cancer rates in the country. Other countries with shorter healthy life expectancies for women include Latvia (55.4), the Netherlands (56.3), Finland (56.5), Portugal (58), and Slovakia (58).
For men, Latvia fares the worst, with an average of just 53 healthy life years. This is followed by Slovakia (56.6), Denmark (57.1), Estonia (58), and Lithuania (58.2). In total, eight EU countries see their populations struggling to maintain good health into their 60s: Latvia, Denmark, Slovakia, Finland, the Netherlands, Romania, Portugal, and Estonia.
Gender Disparities in Healthy Life Years
Across the EU, women generally live longer than men, but this does not necessarily translate into more healthy years. On average, women enjoy 62.8 healthy life years, compared to 62.4 years for men. Interestingly, although men tend to have shorter lifespans, they experience fewer years in poor health compared to women. Healthy life years account for 75% of women’s life expectancy and 80% for men, according to the Eurostat report.
Healthy Life Expectancy vs. Overall Life Expectancy
It is important to note that a higher healthy life expectancy does not always equate to a longer overall lifespan. For instance, while Bulgaria ranks highly for healthy life expectancy in both genders, it has the lowest overall life expectancy in the EU at 75.8 years. This highlights the importance of not only living longer but ensuring those extra years are spent in good health.
Malta’s leadership in healthy life expectancy is a testament to the country’s commitment to public health and quality of life for its citizens, particularly as they age. As the EU grapples with the challenges of an ageing population, Malta’s example underscores the value of investing in healthcare systems that prioritize both longevity and quality of life.
