Increasing Longevity and Life Satisfaction: Are There Pitfalls to Living Longer?

Nemitz, J. Improving longevity and life satisfaction: are there pitfalls to living longer? J Popul Eco (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00148-021-00836-3

Commentary

This study raises questions about the increase in human life expectancy over the past several decades.Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel, it has been suggested that the answer to these questions may be no.

Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel, these surveys suggest that the answer may be no. Between 1985 and 2010, the expected life expectancy of West Germans increased by two years, suggesting that this increase may not compensate for the large loss in life satisfaction. 2010's average life satisfaction score over the past five years is one third or one half of a standard deviation lower than it was in 1985. The average life satisfaction score for the past five years in 2010 was one-third or one-half of a standard deviation lower than in 1985, and the period of decline in final satisfaction was much longer. With an extended life span of more than two years unsatisfied with these averages, it is predicted that people will spend 10% more of their remaining life in a state of dissatisfaction. In other words, it is suggested that the quality of life will decrease. However, the ratio of expected satisfied life expectancy to expected total life expectancy at age 60 as of 2010 is still relatively high, with an average level of about 65-70%.

In order to dig deeper into the causes of the decline in end-of-life satisfaction in West Germany, they focused on two main issues: health and social isolation. Several health indicators showed that end-of-life health deteriorated over time, supporting the expansion of the morbidity hypothesis.

Increasing disability among these health indicators had the most detrimental effect on end-of-life satisfaction, and all measures of social isolation contributed to a decline in end-of-life satisfaction over time, but regressions of individual-level life satisfaction showed that increasing isolation was primarily a function of health channels.

These results were consistent with research showing that the onset of disability is associated with a persistent decline in well-being and that a socially active life is associated with increased well-being in later life.

One possible explanation for the results of the study on life expectancy is that sudden deaths are declining, and over the past 30 years, age-adjusted mortality from ischemic heart disease has declined by more than half in high-income countries. Thus, unlike the days when lifestyle factors led to sudden death, new medical technologies have made it possible to cope with sudden death. This increases the burden and complexity of multiple diseases as well as the likelihood of experiencing new types of diseases is much higher.

The results of this study are based on the assumption that overall quality of life has declined as life expectancy has increased over the time period in question, which could explain why, at age 60, people may rate their overall lifetime satisfaction higher than their actual satisfaction. In other words, it is stated that this assumption may not hold true, and it is also explained that these conclusions may not hold due to over-reporting by interview methods and the belief that if people can compare their current level of satisfaction with their lifetime satisfaction, they will be satisfied for the rest of their lives. It has been explained that these conclusions may not hold if people compare their current level of satisfaction with their lifetime satisfaction.

In summary, medical technology that can prolong life is becoming more and more common, but without the accompanying quality of life, it is very likely that life satisfaction will not be high even if life expectancy is extended.