Life Expectancy With and Without Cognitive Impairment among Brazilian Older Adults

Estimating the life expectancy with and without cognitive impairment in an older adult population is critical for understanding the burden of illness on individuals and their families, the health care system, and society at large. This paper presents and compares estimates of life expectancy with and without cognitive impairment for the noninstitutionalized population ages 60 years and older in São Paulo, Brazil, for the years 2000 and 2010. Life expectancy with and without cognitive impairment was calculated using the Sullivan method and prevalence estimates from data collection at two points (2000 and 2010) of the Health, Well-Being, and Aging Study (SABE). Results indicate that 60-year-old men in São Paulo in 2000 could expect to live 14.8 years and women 17.9 years without cognitive impairment. By 2010, life expectancy without cognitive impairment had increased to 17.1 years for men and 20.0 years for women. Length of life with cognitive impairment differed by gender (2.3 years for men and 3.7 years for women at age 60 in 2010). However, the absolute number of years with cognitive impairment remained relatively constant with age. The results indicate a trend for improvements in life expectancy without cognitive impairment over time in São Paulo. Adults in Brazil still face many years of cognitive impairment in their older years, particularly when compared with estimates from developed countries.