“Why measuring public health by life expectancy alone is not enough”

The Council for Public Health and Society has in its advice To our health similar in many respectsPublic health care weak, 18/4). But taking life expectancy as a yardstick is far too crude and provides the wrong incentive. Anyone who regularly walks around in a nursing home understands this. Even more life extension leads to even fuller homes and that should not be the first goal in any case. It is important to focus on people we ‘lose’ along the way. For example, due to traffic accidents. The quality of life also deserves more attention and concentrating on life expectancy distracts from this.

Christa Glasbergen

Rotterdam