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 Survey[1]. 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.

Males at age 65 / Females at age 65
Area / Life expectancy / Disability-free life expectancy / 95% CI LL / 95% CI UL / Life expectancy / Disability-free 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.

The following table shows overall life expectancy at age 16 and DFLE at the same age, for males and females.

Males at age 16 / Females at age 16
Area / Life expectancy / Disability-free life expectancy / 95% CI LL / 95% CI UL / Life expectancy / Disability-free 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.

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 / Females at age 65
Area / 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

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 / Females at age 16
Area / Expected years with a disability / 95% CI LL / 95% CI UL / Expected years with a disability / 95% CI LL / 95% CI UL
Bexley / 14.8 / 12.9 / 16.8 / 15.5 / 13.4 / 17.6
Bromley / 12.2 / 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

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.

[1]Health Statistics Quarterly 50, Summer 2011, 40-78, Office of National Statistics