Young people’s health

Summary Over 18 per cent of Sweden’s population – approximately 1.8 million people – are 65 years of age or older. The proportion of elderly people in the population has been growing for more than a century and is expected to continue to rise given the gains in average life expec tancy and the fact that large age cohorts are reaching retirement age. The average remaining life expectancy among those who had reached the age of 65 in 2011 was 21 years for women and 18 years for men. The most common causes of death among elderly people are cardiovascular diseases and cancer. The risk of suffering a stroke or heart attack has declined and morbidity has shifted to the upper age groups. On the other hand, the cancer incidence has increased, while cancer mortality has declined, owing to earlier detection and more effective treatment. The most common forms of cancer among elderly people are prostate cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and lung cancer. There has been a rise in the proportion of elderly people who perceive their general state of health as good. In the case of women, however, the increase is mainly noticeable among younger pensioners, while in men, it is spread across all age groups, according to the Statistics Sweden’s Survey of Living Conditions (ULF). The percentage of elderly people reporting long-term illness has risen, while the proportion with illnesses or complaints that interfere with daily life activities has declined. The percentage of people suffering from impaired mobility has fallen since the 1980s, while pain issues have remained at about the same level. Reports of nervousness, anxiety and sleeping