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"Describe the variations in health as reflected by changes in life expectancy at national and global scales since 1950"

"Explain the patterns and trends in terms of differences in income and lifestyle"

"Evaluate life expectancy, infant mortality rate (IMR) and child mortality, HALE (health adjusted life expectancy), calorie intake, access to safe water and access to health services as indicators of health"

Life Expectancy Notes

"Discuss the geographic factors that determine the relative emphasis placed by policy makers, in one country or region, on prevention as opposed to treatment of disease"

Click on the box to the left to find notes on a life expectancy website, click on the box to the righ to find notes from the IB textbook on this topic.

Textbook Notes

Changes in life expectancy

Since the 1870’s, it can be seen that life expectancy has increased greatly in many areas of the world. Before the 1870, life expectancy of people were mainly in the 27-35 years range, however in many areas it started to increase from 1870, for example Oceania, which had a very large and quick increase between 1870-1900, and continued to do so after in a steady rate, even if the data for Oceania started in 1870. Europe began to increase their life expectancy in 1870, but was less than Oceania until the 1950’s when there was a sudden increase between the 1910 and 1950’s and has had the highest life expectancy since, with 80 in 2012. Africa is and has been the region with the lowest life expectancy, with 58 years in 2012, and only started to see an increase in their life expectancy in 1920. Africa had a dip in their life expectancy in 1990-2000, possibly due to HIV/Aids, but are starting to increase it with their fastest increase between 2000-2012. The global average of life expectancy has been increasing just as the life expectancy of other regions have. In a global scale, in 2012 a person was expected to live till 70, in Europe 80, while in contrast, in Africa 58.

Graph #2

The map plots the trends in life expectancy in five countries: Sierra Leone (40-50 years), Tanzania (50-60 years), Myanmar (60-70 years), Brazil (70-80 years) and Australia (80+ years), since 1950-2013. From the map, it can be seen that, overall, life expectancy has been increasing around the world. Sierra Leone and Tanzania are the only two countries that have had a dip in their life expectancy, both between 1980-1990. Sierra Leone was in the midst of a civil uprising and exploitation of humans as well as diamonds, which would lead to the decade long civil war, while Tanzania was in the middle of an economic crisis. It’s surprising to see that the life expectancy in Sierra Leone started to increase after the civil war in 1990, and has continued to do so. All of the other countries have started to level off at the age they are at since 2010. Myanmar overtook Tanzania in life expectancy in 1958 and has steadily continued to increase their life expectancy since, similar to Brazil, who has always been consistently increasing. Australia, which began with a very high life expectancy has been increasing its life expectancy and is now one of the few countries with a life expectancy able 80 years. Globally, the trends show that life expectancy has been increasing in many countries around the world, due to the advances in technology and medical supplies, however in some areas that have been/are in war or places in which epidemics have killed peoples in the thousands, the life expectancy has been/is decreasing, however will later increase as seen through Sierra Leone and Tanzania.

Life expectancy and GDP per capita

For a brief explanation of how GDP affects life expectancy, watch the video to the left. Some key points:

Low income countries have the lowest life expectancy
Higher income countries have the longest life expectancy
No high income countries have a life expectancy below 74
No low income countries have a life expectancy above 64
However, most populations live in middle income countries and they vary greatly in terms of life expectancy

For a better understanding of the relationship between life expectancy and GDP per capita, click on the button to the left for notes on the Preston Curve.

The Preston Curve Notes

The graph represents the changes in the relationship between life expectancy and GDP per capita from the 1800-2012 (1800, 1950, 1980 and 2012). There was a large increase in GDP per capita as well as life expectancy between 1800 and 1950, resulting in inequality between those with high national income and those with low national income. The large change in life expectancy between 1800 and 1950 was due to advances in technology and living standards, with the industrial revolution and various scientific breakthroughs. There was not such a large shift in life expectancy between 1950 and 1980, however there was in GDP per capita, further creating a barrier between the high income and low income countries. 2012 has been the year with the highest GDP per capita, however there are lots of anomalies scattered on the plot, many of which are low income countries with high life expectancies. From the graph, it can be seen that the low-income countries are beginning to increase their life expectancy and the graph is beginning to level out, which may lead to diminishing returns.

Indicators of Health

Click on the image above to find the document explaining the different types of indicators of health.

Terminology Document

Click on the image above to find terminology related to this unit.