Trends in Health Status and Health Care Use Among Older Men

Although life expectancy in the United States has steadily increased for men and women since 1900, life expectancy for men at any age remains lower than that for women. In 2006, men at age 65 were expected to live 2.7 years fewer than women, and at age 85 men were expected to live 1.1 years fewer than women (1).
Awareness of the differences in health indicators among older men and women may help address the health care needs of both and explain differences in life expectancy (2). Identifying major health disparities among older men and examining health indicators among men approaching older age (near-elderly) also is important to understanding possible challenges in the health care needs of older men in the near future.