IntroductionThe measurement of life expectancy can be measured through mortality and morbidity (Spring). Mortality is the inclusion of mortality rates, and morbidity is included in life expectancy when studies focus more on the life of the individual rather than death. The inclusion of morbidity in life expectancy is called healthy life expectancy, and the measure used to measure healthy life expectancy is well-being, based on surveys (Perenboom). When focusing on healthy life expectancy, as opposed to total life expectancy, life years are divided into two or three groups based on the number of healthy years and unhealthy years (Wood). There are 49 countries in the world that measure life expectancy (Spring). These countries can be divided into two groups: those with high mortality and those with low mortality. Life expectancy in each group of countries is increasing at about the same rate, and that rate has been increasing for decades (Bloom). Life Expectancy Is Increasing In the year 1800, overall life expectancy was about 30 years (Bloom). In 1850 life expectancy increased to 41 years (Goldstein). Subsequently, total life expectancy rose to 52.3 years in 1963 (Bloom). In 1998, sixteen-year-old males and females had a total life expectancy of 59.9 and 65.1 years (Perenboom). In 2001, total life expectancy was 78.9 years for females and 73.5 years for males. Of these years, 70.3% and 58.6% respectively were spent in good health (Wood). The increase in total life expectancy is global. Countries with a total life expectancy of less than 40 years saw an increase of ten years in the period between 1963 and 2003. Over the same period, countries with an average life expectancy [about 5 years] saw an addition of another 20 years to their life expectancy. lives......middle of paper......012. Network. .Vinas, Michael S. “Timeline of Medical/Technological Advances.” Perfusion line. August 8, 1999. Web. February 6, 2012. .Winkleby, Marilyn M., Darius E. Jatulis, Erica Frank, and Stephen P. Fortmann. “Socioeconomic Status and Health: How Education, Income, and Employment Contribute to Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease.” American Journal of Public Health 82.6 (1992): 816-20. Network. February 6, 2012. .Wood, Rachael, Matt Sutton, David Clark, Amy McKeon, and Marion Bain. “Measuring health inequalities: the case of healthy life expectancy.” Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 60.12 (2006): 1089-092. JSTOR. BMJ Publishing Group. Network. February 6. 2012. .