Implementing the Healthy China Initiative to Ensure the Achievement of the Healthy Life Expectancy Goal during the 14th Five-Year Plan Period

Abstract

The measurement of health has been developed from mortality-based to focus on length of life such as life expectancy, then the focus has been redirected to healthy life expectancy (HLE) globally, one measure reflecting the quality of life. The year-over-year increase in average HLE has been set by China as a national goal to be achieved during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021—2025) . In this article, we briefed the measurements of HLE, and reviewed the experience measuring and using the HLE in international organizations and selected countries. With consideration of the development of health statistics and information system of China, we proposed Global Activity Limitation Index (GALI) as the measurement method of HLE and goal value of HLE, including the share of HLE in life expectancy as well additional year of HLE achieved by the end of 2025. In addition, we concluded as suggestions for achieving the goal.

Keywords

• national health programs|population health|life expectancy|healthy life expectancy