What do we know?
-
Disability-free life expectancy at age 65 in Lewisham is not
significantly different from that of London and England, for
either males or females. Within South East London, it is below
that in Bromley for females, and not significantly different
from those in the other boroughs.
-
Disability-free life expectancy at age 16 in Lewisham is not
significantly different from that of London and England, or any
of the other boroughs in South East London, for both sexes.
Disability-free life expectancy (DFLE) is an estimation of the length of time
that an individual can expect to live free from a limiting long-standing illness
or disability, and therefore adds a qualitative dimension to measures of life
expectancy (LE). Previously only available from 2001 Census data, the Office
of National Statistics (ONS) has made available estimates of DFLE at local
authority level for males and females at ages 16 and 65, derived from data
collected in the Annual Population Survey1. This data is based in the 3-year
period 2006-8, includes 95% confidence intervals, and is accompanied by
overall life expectancy at these ages (without confidence intervals).
The following table shows overall life expectancy at age 65 and DFLE at the
same age, for males and females for South East London boroughs, London,
and England.
Area
Males at
age 65
Life
expectancy
Disabilityfree life
expectancy
95%
CI LL
95%
CI UL
Females at
age 65
Life
expectancy
Disabilityfree life
expectancy
95%
CI LL
95%
CI UL
Bexley
18.3
9.1
7.5
10.7
21.0
10.9
9.2
12.7
Bromley
18.7
11.0
9.5
12.6
21.4
13.6
12.0
15.2
Greenwich
16.2
10.6
8.2
13.0
20.3
8.5
6.4
10.6
Lambeth
16.9
9.8
7.7
12.0
19.9
9.8
7.6
12.0
Lewisham
16.1
10.2
8.4
12.0
19.3
8.9
6.7
11.2
Southwark
18.4
12.0
10.1
13.9
21.7
11.3
8.2
14.3
London
18.1
9.8
9.5
10.2
20.9
10.8
10.4
11.1
England
17.53
9.9
9.8
10.0
20.2
10.5
10.4
10.6
For both males and females Lewisham’s overall life expectancy at age 65 was
the lowest in South East London in 2006-8. For females the DFLE was the
lowest in South East London, though the difference was only statistically
significantly different from Bromley.
The following charts show the same data graphically.
1
Health Statistics Quarterly 50, Summer 2011, 40-78, Office of National Statistics
Disability-free life expectancy
Males aged 65
2006-8
25
20
Life expectancy
15
Years
10
Disability-free life expectancy
5
0
Bexley
Bromley
Greenwich
Lambeth
Lewisham
Southwark
London
England
Disability-free life expectancy
Females aged 65
2006-8
25
20
Life expectancy
15
Years
Disability-free life expectancy
10
5
0
Bexley
Bromley
Greenwich
Lambeth
Lewisham
Southwark
London
England
The following table shows overall life expectancy at age 16 and DFLE at the
same age, for males and females.
Area
Males at
age 16
Life
expectancy
Disabilityfree life
expectancy
95%
CI LL
95%
CI UL
Females at
age 16
Life
expectancy
Disabilityfree life
expectancy
95%
CI LL
95%
CI UL
Bexley
63.4
48.6
46.6
50.5
67.4
51.8
49.8
53.9
Bromley
64.2
52.0
50.1
53.9
68.0
54.1
52.1
56.1
Greenwich
60.1
48.5
46.0
50.9
66.1
47.6
45.2
50.1
Lambeth
60.4
48.6
46.3
50.9
65.6
49.2
46.6
51.8
Lewisham
60.8
49.8
47.8
51.9
65.4
50.0
47.5
52.4
Southwark
62.0
50.5
48.4
52.7
67.3
49.3
46.1
52.5
London
62.8
48.9
48.5
49.3
67.2
50.4
50.0
50.8
England
62.33
48.8
48.7
48.9
66.38
49.8
49.7
49.9
For females Lewisham’s overall life expectancy was the lowest in South East
London. For neither males nor females was the DFLE significantly different
from any of the comparators.
The following charts show the same data graphically.
Disability-free life expectancy
Males aged 16
2006-8
70
Life expectancy
60
50
Disability-free life expectancy
40
Years
30
20
10
0
Bexley
Bromley
Greenwich
Lambeth
Lewisham
Southwark
London
England
Disability-free life expectancy
Females aged 16
2006-8
70
Life expectancy
60
Disability-free life expectancy
50
40
Years
30
20
10
0
Bexley
Bromley
Greenwich
Lambeth
Lewisham
Southwark
London
England
What is this telling us?
The difference between the overall life expectancy and DFLE is the number of
years a person of the specified age can expect to live with long-standing
illness or disability. As such, it tells us the number of years the person is likely
to need care or support because of their condition.
The following table shows the number of years of a life that a person aged 65
can expect to have a long-standing illness or disability, for males and females.
Males at age
65
Expected
years with a
disability
95% CI LL
95% CI UL
Expected
years with a
disability
95% CI LL
95% CI UL
Bexley
9.1
7.5
10.8
10.1
8.4
11.8
Bromley
7.7
6.1
9.2
7.7
6.2
9.3
Greenwich
5.6
3.2
8.0
11.8
9.7
13.9
Lambeth
7.1
4.9
9.2
10.1
7.8
12.3
Lewisham
5.9
4.1
7.8
10.4
8.2
12.6
Southwark
6.4
4.5
8.3
10.4
7.3
13.5
London
8.3
7.9
8.6
10.2
9.8
10.5
England
7.6
7.5
7.7
9.7
9.6
9.8
Area
Females at age 65
Males aged 65 in Lewisham can expect a significantly shorter period of life
with a disabling condition than the average for London. This appears to be
principally a consequence of Lewisham’s shorter overall life expectancy.
Females in Lewisham aged 65 can expect a period of life with a disabling
condition very close to the average for London.
The following table shows the number of years of a life that a person aged 16
can expect to have a long-standing illness or disability, for males and females.
Males at age
16
Expected
years with a
disability
95% CI UL
Females at
age 16
Expected
years with a
disability
95% CI LL
95% CI LL
95% CI UL
Bexley
14.8
Bromley
12.2
12.9
16.8
15.5
13.4
17.6
10.3
14.1
13.9
11.9
15.9
Greenwich
11.6
9.2
14.1
18.5
16.1
20.9
Lambeth
11.8
9.5
14.1
16.4
13.8
19.0
Lewisham
11.0
8.9
13.0
15.5
13.0
17.9
Southwark
11.5
9.4
13.7
18.0
14.8
21.2
London
13.9
13.5
14.3
16.8
16.4
17.3
England
13.5
13.4
13.6
16.6
16.5
16.7
Area
Males aged 16 in Lewisham can expect a significantly shorter period of life
with a disabling condition than the average for London and for England.
Females in Lewisham can expect a shorter period of life with a disabling
condition than the average for London and for England, but the difference is
not statistically significant.