Six countries now have a life expectancy over 80, including Spain, whose health spending is just 7.7% of GDP. Turkey is the only OECD country where life expectancy is below 70, and its health spending, at 6.6% of GDP, is sixth lowest. Meanwhile, life expectancy is rising in all OECD countries. Another report, Long-term Care for Older People, says that the share of very old people (over 80) in the OECD population nearly trebled since 1960 to over 3% today, and is expected to more than double by 2040. This will put pressure on care services and costs unless informal care expands, the report says.
©OECD Observer No 251, September 2005
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