Trends in severe functional limitations among working and non-working adults in Germany: Towards an (un)-healthy working life?

We examined trends in severe functional limitations among working and non-working adults in Germany (ages 40-65). Four population-based samples of 11,615 participants were used, spanning the time periods 2002-2021. The overall prevalence of severe limitations was found to be 12.8% in the sample, but also varied from 10 to 20% according to occupational group. Over time, severe limitations were found to have increased, from 10.6% in 2002 to 13.2% in 2021. Logistic regression analysis showed that severe limitations increased significantly in certain subgroups, including working women with a low skilled white collar occupational group, working men with a low skilled blue collar occupational group and, particularly, among the whole non-working population, whereas limitations remained largely the same in the other groups, including most of the working population. In terms of expectancies, overall working life expectancy increased. Along with this increase, healthy (non-severely limited) working life expectancy increased, but this trend was accompanied by a clear increase in unhealthy working life expectancy (severely limited). Thus, although severe limitations have increased in some groups in the working-age adults, people today can expect to work more years free from severe limitations than before. In the future, potentials to increase working life expectancy may come to an end, as severe limitations increased strongly in the non-working population, which could limit the prospects for a further increase in the proportion of the population in employment. Further studies are needed to investigate the potential impact of the increasing prevalence of severe limitations on the population's ability to work.

The development of working life expectancy without musculoskeletal diseases against the backdrop of extended working lives.

Musculoskeletal diseases (MSDs) are a major predictor of early retirement. Against the backdrop of the extension of working life, we investigated time trends and educational inequalities in years spent in the labour market free of MSD. Based on German statutory health insurance data (N = 3,405,673), total life years free of MSD (Healthy Life Expectancy, HLE) and years spent in the labour force free of MSD (Healthy Working Life Expectancy, HWLE) were estimated for three periods (2006-2008, 2011-2013, 2016-2018) using multistate analyses. Educational inequalities (8 to 11 vs. 12 or more years of schooling) are reported for 2011-2013. HLE decreased slightly over time in all genders. HWLE in women increased, while it remained rather constant in men. Over time, the share of years in the labour force spent free of MSD declined continuously. People with lower education had lower HLE and HWLE than individuals with higher education. With respect to musculoskeletal diseases, the increase in disease-free working life years cannot keep pace with the extension of working life, resulting in an increasing proportion of years spent in impaired musculoskeletal health in the labour market. Effective prevention strategies are needed, focusing especially on individuals with lower educational attainment.

Time trends in limited lung function among German middle-aged and older adults.

Limited lung function represents a serious health impairment. However, studies investigating changes in limited lung function over time are rare. Thus, the current study investigates time-related changes in limited lung function and potential social inequalities. Data from the 2008 and 2017 waves of the population-based German Aging Survey were used in a repeated cross-sectional study design (N = 8778), including participants aged 40 years and older. Lung function was assessed by the peak flow test. Socio-economic indicators included educational attainment, income and occupational group. Additionally, smoking history, occupational exposure to fumes and gases, and physical exercise were used as potentially explanatory variables for the observed changes. We found that the prevalence of limited lung function decreased strongly over time on a descriptive level from 9.0 to 5.4%. In line with these results, a decreasing trend emerged (OR = 0.48) when controlling for age and gender differences. When additionally controlling for changes in socio-economic indicators and explanatory variables there were still significant decreases over time, but the decline was slightly reduced (OR = 0.57). Moreover, similar significant relative decreases over time occurred for middle-aged and older participants, female and male participants, and those belonging to the different socio-economic groups. Thus, limited lung function generally decreased over time. This decrease could partially be explained by beneficial developments in socio-economic indicators, smoking, occupational exposures, and physical exercise. Future studies might investigate how changes in medicinal treatment and prevention efforts have contributed to the observed beneficial trends in lung health.

Socioeconomic Patterns in the Frequency of Doctor Visits in Germany and Spain in Subjects With and Without Chronic Diseases.

The objective of universal health care systems is to achieve equality in the use of health services at the same level of care need. This study evaluates the relationship of socioeconomic position with the frequency of doctor visits in subjects with and without chronic diseases in Germany and Spain. The dependent variables included number of consultations and if a medical consultation occurred. The socioeconomic factors were income and education. The magnitude of the relationship between socioeconomic position and medical consultation frequency was estimated by calculating the percentage ratio using binomial regression and by calculating the difference in consultations by analysis of the covariance, in the case of number of visits. Statistically significant findings according to education were not observed. The percentage ratio in the medical consultations among those with lower and higher income was 1.03 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-2.88) in Germany and 1.11 (95% CI 1.03-1.20) in Spain among subjects with any of the studied chronic conditions. Also, in Germany the difference in the average number of consultations comparing lower income subjects with higher was 3.98 (95% CI 2.40-5.57) in those with chronic conditions. In both countries, there were no differences in the frequency of doctor visits according to education. However, a pro-inequality trend exists in favor of subjects with lower income.

Decreasing COPD-related incidences and hospital admissions in a German health insurance population.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with smoking and work-related health hazards. Most studies have reported prevalences, and the number of studies examining incidences and social inequalities is small. We analyzed the development of social inequalities of COPD-incidences in terms of income and exacerbations in terms of hospital admissions. Findings were based on claims data from a German statutory health insurance covering 2008 to 2019. Outpatient diagnoses were used for defining COPD-cases, hospital admissions were used for detecting exacerbations. Analyses were performed using Cox-regression. Individual incomes were depicted at three levels defined according to national averages for each year. Data of 3,040,137 insured men and women were available. From 2008 to 2019 COPD-incidences in men decreased by 42% and 47% in women. After stratification by income the reduction at the lowest income level was 41% and 50% in women. Respectively, at the highest income level reductions were 28% and 41%. Disease exacerbations decreased over time, and also social inequalities between income groups emerged. COPD-rates decreased over time at all income levels, but at a faster pace in the lowest income group, thus leading to a positive development of diminishing social gradients in men as well as in women.

Changes in disability over time among older working-age adults: Which global and specific limitations are increasing in Germany using the SHARE-data from 2004 to 2015?

Objectives: Previous studies have observed increasing limitations among the middle-aged, including those aged 40-64, raising the question how healthy work participation has changed. Helping answer this question, we ask: How have general and specific limitations changed in working and non-working adults in Germany? Methods: We used population-based data of older working-age adults, aged 50-64 years old, from Germany provided by the Survey of Health Aging and Retirement (SHARE) study from 2004 to 2014 (N = 3522). Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to study changes in limitations over time. Results: We found that employment rates generally increased over time, whereas limitation rates mostly increased among participants aged 50-54 and mostly decreased among participants aged 60-64 in both the working and non-working population. Regarding type of disability, increases were more pronounced with movement-related and general activity-related limitations. Conclusion: Therefore, if the comparatively younger more-limited cohorts age and replace the older less-limited cohorts, a larger part of the working and non-working life might be expected to be spent with limitations in the future, and it seems questionable whether further substantial increases in healthy work participation can be achieved. Further prevention efforts and assistance should be directed at current middle-aged cohorts to improve and maintain their health, including adapting current working conditions to a work force with more limitations.

Trends in cancer-free working life expectancy based on health insurance data from Germany-Is the increase as strong as in working life expectancy?

BACKGROUND: Against the backdrop of population ageing, governments are facing the need to raise the statutory retirement age. In this context, the question arises whether these extra years added to working life would be spent in good health. As cancer represents a main contributor to premature retirement this study focuses on time trends and educational inequalities in cancer-free working life expectancy (WLE). METHODS: The analyses are based on the data of a large German health insurer covering annually about 2 million individuals. Cancer-free WLE is calculated based on multistate life tables and reported for three periods: 2006-2008, 2011-2013, and 2016-2018. Educational inequalities in 2011-2013 were assessed by two educational levels (8 to 11 years and 12 to 13 years of schooling). RESULTS: While labour force participation increased, cancer incidence rates decreased over time. Cancer-free WLE at age 18 increased by 2.5 years in men and 6.3 years in women (age 50: 1.3 years in men, 2.4 years in women) between the first and third period while increases in WLE after a cancer diagnosis remained limited. Furthermore, educational inequalities are substantial, with lower groups having lower cancer-free WLE. The proportion of cancer-free WLE in total WLE remained constant in women and younger men, while it decreased in men at higher working age. CONCLUSION: The increase in WLE is accompanied by an increase in cancer-free WLE. However, the subgroups considered have not benefitted equally from this positive development. Among men at higher working age, WLE increased at a faster pace than cancer-free WLE. Particular attention should be paid to individuals with lower education and older men, as the general level and time trends in cancer-free WLE are less favourable.

Socioeconomic inequalities in type 2 diabetes comorbidities in different population subgroups: trend analyses using German health insurance data.

While socioeconomic inequalities in the prevalence and management of type 2 diabetes (T2D) are well established, little is known about whether inequalities exist in the prevalence and the temporal development of T2D comorbidities. Previous research points towards expansion of morbidity in T2D as depicted mainly by a rising trend of T2D comorbidities. Against this background, and using German claims data, this study aims to examine whether socioeconomic status (SES) inequalities exist in the rates and the temporal development of T2D comorbidities. Since previous research indicates varying risk levels for T2D prevalence in the population subgroups: working individuals, nonworking spouses and pensioners, the analyses are stratified by these three population subgroups. The study is done on a large population of statutory insured individuals with T2D in three time-periods between 2005 and 2017. Predicted probabilities of three comorbidity groups and the number of comorbidities were estimated using logistic and ordinal regression analyses among different income, education and occupation groups. Interaction analyses were applied to examine whether potential SES inequalities changed over time. The study showed that neither the cross-sectional existence, nor the temporal development of T2D comorbidities differed significantly among SES groups, ruling out SES inequalities in the prevalence and the temporal development of T2D comorbidities in Germany. In men and women of all examined population subgroups, predicted probabilities for less severe cardiovascular (CVD) comorbidities, other vascular diseases and the number of comorbidities per individual rose significantly over time regardless of SES, but little if any change took place for more severe CVD comorbidities. Another important finding is that the population subgroup of nonworking spouses had markedly higher predicted probabilities for most of the examined outcomes compared to working individuals. The study indicates that the expansion of morbidity in T2D in Germany does not appear to be SES-dependent, and applies equally to different population subgroups. Yet, the study highlights that nonworking spouses are a susceptible population subgroup that needs to be focused upon when planning and implementing T2D management interventions.

Trends of healthy and unhealthy working life expectancy in Germany between 2001 and 2020 at ages 50 and 60: a question of educational level?

BACKGROUND: Extending the number of active working years is an important goal both for maintaining individual quality of life and safeguarding social security systems. Against this background, we examined the development of healthy and unhealthy working life expectancy (HWLE/UHWLE) in the general population and for different educational groups. METHODS: The study is based on data from the German Socio-Economic Panel study, including 88 966 women and 85 585 men aged 50-64 years and covering four time periods (2001-05, 2006-2010, 2011-2015 and 2016-2020). Estimates of HWLE and UHWLE in terms of self-rated health (SRH) were calculated using the Sullivan's method. We adjusted for hours worked and stratified by gender and educational level. RESULTS: Working-hours adjusted HWLE at age 50 increased in women and men from 4.52 years (95% CI 4.42 to 4.62) in 2001-2005 to 6.88 years (95% CI 6.78 to 6.98) in 2016-2020 and from 7.54 years (95% CI 7.43 to 7.65) to 9.36 years (95% CI 9.25 to 9.46), respectively. Moreover, UHWLE also rose with the proportion of working life spent in good SRH (health ratio) remaining largely stable. At age 50, educational differences in HWLE between the lowest and highest educational groups increased over time in women and in men from 3.72 to 4.99 years and from 4.06 to 4.40 years, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We found evidence for an overall increase but also for substantial educational differences in working-hours adjusted HWLE, which widened between the lowest and highest educational group over time. Our findings suggest that policies and health prevention measures at workplace should be more focused on workers with low levels of education in order to extend their HWLE.

Trends of Antidiabetic and Cardiovascular Diseases Medication Prescriptions in Type 2 Diabetes between 2005 and 2017-A German Longitudinal Study Based on Claims Data.

BACKGROUND: With an attempt to understand possible mechanisms behind the severity-dependent development of type 2 diabetes (T2D) comorbidities, this study examines the trends of antidiabetic and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) medication prescriptions in individuals with T2D. METHODS: The study is based on claims data from a statutory health insurance provider in Lower Saxony, Germany. The period prevalence of antidiabetic and CVD medication prescriptions was examined for the periods 2005-2007, 2010-2012, and 2015-2017 in 240,241, 295,868, and 308,134 individuals with T2D, respectively. (Ordered) logistic regression analyses were applied to examine the effect of time period on the number and prevalence of prescribed medications. Analyses were stratified by gender and three age groups. RESULTS: The number of prescribed medications per person has increased significantly for all examined subgroups. For the two younger age groups, insulin prescriptions decreased but those of non-insulin medications increased, while both increased significantly over time for the age group of 65+ years. Except for glycosides and antiarrhythmic medications, the predicted probabilities for CVD medications increased over the examined periods, with lipid-lowering agents demonstrating the highest increase. CONCLUSIONS: Results point towards an increase in medication prescriptions in T2D, which is in line with the evidence of the increase in most comorbidities indicating morbidity expansion. The increase in CVD medication prescriptions, especially lipid-lowering agents, could explain the specific development of severe and less severe T2D comorbidities observed in this population.

Living longer, working longer: analysing time trends in working life expectancy in Germany from a health perspective between 2002 and 2018.

Population ageing poses growing challenges to social security systems, in particular to public pension funds. The study analyses how Working Life Expectancy (WLE) and Healthy Working Life Expectancy (HWLE) in terms of three health indicators developed in Germany. Based on the German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP) from 2002 to 2018 (n = 211,141), time trends in labour force rates, mental and physical Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL), self-rated health (SRH) and the respective combinations (health indicator*labour force) were analysed for all respondents aged 18-74. WLE and HWLE were calculated using the Sullivan method. WLE and HWLE in men and women at age 18 and 50 clearly increased over time. These increases in HWLE were found in terms of all three health indicators. This development was mainly driven by the clear increase of the labour force rates, since the shares of individuals with good and satisfactory SRH or average and good HRQoL remained largely stable over time. The results show that from a health perspective there have been potentials for increases in WLE during the past two decades and that increasingly more healthy life years are spent economically active. However, life years in the labour force but in poor health have increased, too. The absence of clear improvements in health emphasises the importance of current and future preventive measures to maintain health, especially among the middle-aged and older labour force. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10433-022-00707-0.

Development of gender inequality in self-rated health in the life-phase of raising children in Germany from 1994 to 2018 - A decomposition analysis of socioeconomic, psychosocial and family-related influencing factors.

Extensive research has documented gender inequalities in self-rated health (SRH) to the disadvantage of women. However, little research has been done on how this gender gap has changed against the backdrop of social change. Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel Study (GSOEP), this study addressed this issue and examined time-trends in SRH between 1994 and 2018 in women (n = 117,608) and men (n = 101.404) aged 30-49 years. In addition, we analyzed the role of socioeconomic, psychosocial and family-related factors as possible mediators influencing these trends. We performed logistic regression analyses for analyzing the time-trends and applied the Karlson-Holm-Breen (KHB) method for decomposing the time effect into direct and indirect parts via mediators. Over time, the chance of reporting good as well as poor SRH remained largely stable in both genders while the majority of socioeconomic and psychosocial factors pointed towards improvement. The decomposition analysis revealed a positive effect of most of these mediators on the time trend in SRH. After controlling for the mediators, the health trend became negative, leading to a decline in the proportion of good health over time by 5.4%-point and 4.3%-point in women and men, respectively. The same pattern was observed with respect to poor SRH. For both genders, the decline of economic worries and the rise in school education contributed most to the indirect time effect. Our findings indicate a positive development of key socioeconomic and psychosocial health determinants particularly for women, but no corresponding increase in SRH. Thus, gender inequality in SRH remained largely unchanged. However, our results suggest that SRH would have developed much worse if there had been no improvements in the health determinants considered. Further studies are needed to determine what other factors may have counteracted a positive health trend and stood in the way of narrowing the gender health gap.

Getting Better or Getting Worse? A Population-Based Study on Trends in Self-Rated Health among Single Mothers in Germany between 1994 and 2018.

BACKGROUND: While numerous studies suggest that single motherhood is associated with socioeconomic disadvantages and poor health, few studies have analyzed how these conditions have evolved over time. Addressing this gap, we examined the temporal development of self-rated health (SRH) among single compared to partnered mothers, and the role of socioeconomic factors that may have influenced this trend. METHODS: We used representative longitudinal data from the German Socioeconomic Panel Survey (G-SOEP) between 1994 and 2018, consisting of 83,843 women with children, aged 30-49 years (13,664 single and 70,179 partnered mothers). Time trends in SRH and socioeconomic factors were analyzed by means of logistic regression analyses. We applied the Karlson-Holm-Breen (KHB) method for decomposing the total time effect into direct and indirect parts via socioeconomic mediators. RESULTS: The predicted probabilities of good SRH decreased in single mothers from 57.0% to 48.4%, while they increased in partnered mothers from 54.8% to 61.3%. Similarly, predicted probabilities of poor SRH rose from 15.0% to 22.7% in single mothers while decreasing slightly from 12.0% to 11.4% in partnered mothers. Moreover, socioeconomic factors worsened over time for single mothers, while they mostly improved for partnered mothers. Decomposing the time trend revealed that the deterioration of single mothers' health was partly explained by the worsening of socioeconomic disadvantages, of which the decline in full-time employment, the rise in low incomes, and in unemployment contributed most. CONCLUSIONS: The alarming rise in socioeconomic and health disadvantages among single mothers in Germany shows that action is needed to counter this trend.

Secular Improvements in Cognitive Aging: Contribution of Education, Health, and Routine Activities.

OBJECTIVES: Limited evidence exists regarding the reasons for secular changes in cognitive functioning over historical time. Thus, we examined potential explanatory factors for changes in cognitive speed, a central dimension of cognitive functioning. METHODS: Population-based data of middle-aged and older adults from Germany (N = 5443) was used with baseline participants from 2002 to 2014, comparing the time periods 2002-2014. RESULTS: Cognitive speed improved in middle-aged adults (40-65) and older adults (66+). In both age groups, increases were partly explained by education, employment status, volunteering status, routine activities, and physical functioning. Changes in education were more important in explaining increases in older than in middle-aged adults, whereas changes in health were more important for explaining increases in middle-aged adults. CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive speed increased in both age groups over historical time. Education, employment, volunteering, routine activities, and health were all important in explaining these changes, but their importance differed between age groups.

Widening or narrowing income inequalities in myocardial infarction? Time trends in life years free of myocardial infarction and after incidence.

BACKGROUND: Despite substantial improvements in prevention and therapy, myocardial infarction (MI) remains a frequent health event, causing high mortality and serious health impairments. Previous research lacks evidence on how social inequalities in incidence and mortality risks developed over time, and on how these developments affect the lifespan free of MI and after MI in different social subgroups. This study investigates income inequalities in MI-free life years and life years after MI and whether these inequalities widened or narrowed over time. METHODS: The analyses are based on claims data of a large German health insurance provider insuring approximately 2.8 million individuals in the federal state Lower Saxony. Trends in income inequalities in incidence and mortality were assessed for all subjects aged 60 years and older by comparing the time periods 2006-2008 and 2015-2017 using multistate survival models. Trends in the number of life years free of MI and after MI were calculated separately for income groups by applying multistate life table analyses. RESULTS: MI incidence and mortality risks decreased over time, but declines were strongest among men and women in the higher-income group. While life years free of MI increased in men and women with higher incomes, no MI-free life years were gained in the low-income group. Among men, life years after MI increased irrespective of income group. CONCLUSIONS: Income inequalities in the lifespan spent free of MI and after MI widened over time. In particular, men with low incomes are disadvantaged, as life years spent after MI increased, but no life years free of MI were gained.

Trends and equity in the use of health services in Spain and Germany around austerity in Europe.

BACKGROUND: Following the 2008 economic crisis many countries implemented austerity policies, including reducing public spending on health services. This paper evaluates the trends and equity in the use of health services during and after that period in Spain - a country with austerity policies - and in Germany - a country without restriction on healthcare spending. METHODS: Data from several National Surveys in Spain and several waves of the Socio-Economic Panel in Germany, carried out between 2009 and 2017, were used. The dependent variables were number of doctor's consultations and whether or not a hospital admission occurred. The measure of socioeconomic position was education. In each year, the estimates were made for people with and without pre-existing health problems. First, the average number of doctor's consultations and the percentage of respondents who had had been hospitalized were calculated. Second, the relationship between education and use of those health services was estimated by calculating the difference in consultations using covariance analysis - in the case of number of consultations - and by calculating the percentage ratio using binomial regression - in the case of hospitalization. RESULTS: The annual mean number of consultations went down in both countries. In Spain the average was 14.2 in 2009 and 10.4 in 2017 for patients with chronic conditions; 16.6 and 13.5 for those with a mental illness; and 6.4 and 5.9 for those without a defined illness. In Germany, the averages were 13.8 (2009) and 12.9 (2017) for the chronic group; 21.1 and 17.0 for mental illness; and 8.7 and 7.5 with no defined illness. The hospitalization frequency also decreased in both countries. The majority of the analyses presented no significant differences in relation to education. CONCLUSION: In both Spain and Germany, service use decreased between 2009 and 2017. In the first few years, this reduction coincided with a period of austerity in Spain. In general, we did not find socioeconomic differences in health service use.

Development of comorbidities in type 2 diabetes between 2005 and 2017 using German claims data.

Against the background of increasing life expectancy over time, several hypotheses have been proposed on the way morbidity has been developing. In type 2 diabetes (T2D), previous research suggests that morbidity compression could be ruled out due to increasing prevalence and life expectancy with T2D over time. Understanding how the health state in individuals with T2D is developing would help identify whether morbidity expansion or a dynamic equilibrium pattern applies for this disease. This study aims to answer the following questions: (1) How do the number and the prevalence of T2D concordant comorbidities develop over time? (2) What does this imply in terms of morbidity development in T2D in Germany? The study used claims data from a statutory health insurance provider in Lower Saxony, Germany. Period prevalence of T2D concordant comorbidities was examined for the periods 2005-2007, 2010-2012 and 2015-2017 in 240,241, 295,868 and 308,134 individuals with T2D respectively. The effect of time period on the number and prevalence of comorbidities was examined by means of (ordered) logistic regression. The age-adjusted predicted probabilities of more severe cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) decreased over the three periods while those of less severe CVDs and other vascular diseases increased significantly in men and women and among all examined age-groups. Predicted probability of having at least one more comorbidity over time also increased significantly among all examined groups. While less and more severe CVDs exhibited different developmental patterns, the results of the study point towards morbidity expansion in T2D. Future studies should focus on mechanisms that contribute to these trends.

[Predictors of the Utilization and Waiting Period Before Starting an Oncological Rehabilitation after Breast Cancer]. / Prädiktoren der Inanspruchnahme und des Beginns einer onkologischen Rehabilitation nach Brustkrebs.

PURPOSE: This study explores the sociodemographic, medical and work-related factors leading to a participation in an in-house rehabilitation measure after primary treatment for breast cancer. METHODS: The prospective multi-center study is based on a written survey with employed breast cancer patients who were recruited at 11 breast cancer centers in Lower Saxony, Germany. Predictors of participation were examined by logistic regression, predictors of the time period before starting the rehabilitation by linear regression. RESULTS: 409 patients returned their questionnaires at all three time-points. Response rates were 80,1% 3 weeks after surgery (t0), 95,2% 6 months after surgery (t1) and 89,9% one year after surgery (t2). Altogether, 294 patients (72%) participated in the rehabilitation measure. Respondents, 90% of whom participated in rehabilitation before returning to work, began their rehabilitation on average 21 weeks after primary surgery. They showed an increased probability of participation if they had indicated the need to clarify their job situation (OR=2,74, p<0,01), or if their answers displayed a detrimental relation between effort and reward at work (OR=3,89, p<0,05). At the same time, higher age, a higher level of school education (OR=4,23) and reduced physical health (OR=0,94, p<0,01) increased the chance for breast cancer patients to take part in oncological rehabilitation. The starting point of rehabilitation was only predictable by medical treatments: adjuvant chemotherapy (ß=0,492, p≤0,001), additional surgery (ß=0,112, p<0,05), and radiation therapy within the second half year after primary surgery (ß=0,20; p<0,001) led to a postponement. CONCLUSION: This study shows that an increased need of breast cancer patients for medical and socio-psychological support leads to their participation in an in-house rehabilitation and thus underlines the necessity of these institutions. Women with an impaired psychological health should be given extra attention.

Trends in healthy life expectancy between 2002 and 2018 in Germany - Compression or expansion of health-related quality of life (HRQOL)?

The question of whether rising life expectancy has led to additional life years spent in good health or poor health is of major public health relevance. We tested the theories of compression or expansion of morbidity for Germany with respect to the mental and physical component summary scales (MCS/PCS) of the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) questionnaire (SF-12). Data of 90,758 women and 81,400 men were obtained from the German Socio-Economic Panel between 2002 and 2018. Linear and logistic regression analyses were applied to estimate temporal changes in MCS and PCS in different life stages. The development of healthy life expectancy (H-LE) expressed by life years without severe functional limitations was calculated by applying the Sullivan method. Overall, a significant increase of MCS and PCS was found in both genders. The rise was mainly due to declining proportions of severe limitations (norm values < 40 points) while the proportions of norm values > 60 points did not change substantially. Improvements were most apparent for the 'young seniors' (65-79 years) and at 'old age' (80 years +). In contrast, no improvements in PCS were found for 'later working life' (50-64 years) and decreasing levels were observed for persons of 'middle working age' (30-49 years). During the study period, H-LE at age 50 increased in women/men by 2.93/2.90 years (MCS) and 1.92/2.53 years (PCS), respectively. Our results support the hypothesis of absolute compression of morbidity. However, since consistent improvements were not found for ages below 65 years, it remains open to debate whether the positive health trend will also persist in the future. Our findings suggest that health promotion efforts should be strengthened for people of middle and later working age to support healthy aging.

Life stage-specific trends in educational inequalities in health-related quality of life and self-rated health between 2002 and 2016 in Germany: findings from the German Socio-Economic Panel Study (GSOEP).

OBJECTIVES: While evidence suggests persisting health inequalities, research on whether these trends may vary according to different stages of life has rarely been considered. Against this backdrop, we analysed life stage-specific trends in educational inequalities in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and poor self-rated health (SRH) for individuals in 'later working life' (50-64 years), 'young seniors' (65-79 years) and persons of 'old age' (80+ years). METHODS: We used survey data from the German Socio-Economic Panel Study comprising the period from 2002 to 2016. The sample consists of 26 074 respondents (160 888 person-years) aged 50 years and older. Health was assessed using the mental and physical component summary scale (MCS/PCS) of the HRQOL questionnaire (12-Item Short Form Health Survey V.2) and the single item SRH. To estimate educational health inequalities, we calculated the regression-based Slope Index of Inequality (SII) and Relative Index of Inequality (RII). Time trends in inequalities were assessed by the inclusion of a two-way interaction term between school education and time. RESULTS: With increasing age, educational inequalities in PCS and poor SRH decreased whereas they rose in MCS. Over time, health inequalities decreased in men aged 65-79 years (MCSSII=2.76, 95% CI 0.41 to 5.11; MCSRII=1.05, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.10; PCSSII=2.12, 95% CI -0.27to 4.51; PCSRII=1.05, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.11; poor SRHSII=-0.10, 95% CI -0.19 to 0.01; poor SRHRII=0.73, 95% CI 0.48 to 1.13) and among women of that age for MCS (MCSSII=2.82, 95% CI 0.16 to 5.50; MCSRII=1.06, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.12). In contrast, health inequalities widened in the 'later working life' among women (PCSSII=-2.98, 95% CI -4.86 to -1.11; PCSRII=0.94, 95% CI 0.90 to 0.98; poor SRHSII=0.07, 95% CI 0.00 to 0.14) while remained largely stable at old age for both genders. CONCLUSIONS: We found distinctive patterns of health inequality trends depending on gender and life stage. Our findings suggest to adopt a differentiated view on health inequality trends and to pursue research that explores their underlying determinants.