Span of healthy life measures combines which elements to estimate how many years a person can function normally?

• A. Life expectancy and disease prevalence only.
• B. Self-reported health status.
• C. Life expectancy, self-reported health status, and functional disabilities.
• D. Total years lived regardless of health.

Answer: (C)

The key idea is that a healthy life span is about both how long people live and how healthy they are during those years. Life expectancy tells you the total number of years a person is expected to live, but it doesn’t say anything about health quality. Adding self-reported health status brings in a person’s own perception of their overall health, which often tracks with future illness and wellbeing. Including functional disabilities adds information about actual ability to perform daily activities, capturing how well a person can function in everyday life. By combining longevity with how people feel they are health-wise and how independently they can act, you get an estimate of the years lived in good health—free from major illness and disability. Other options miss one or more of these essential pieces, so they don’t fully describe the span of healthy life.