Health-Adjusted Life Expectancy interactive widget showing the gap between total years lived and healthy years lived

Living longer doesn't mean living well

Australia's life expectancy is 83 years, but the average person only lives 72 years in full health. The 11-year gap reveals the hidden burden of non-fatal disease. Drag the slider to explore how illness steals healthy years without reducing total lifespan.

Lifespan Visualisation 72 healthy years

Drag to adjust HALE • Orange = healthy years • Dim = years with illness

Gap: 11 years lost to illness
60 years 70 years 80 years
Healthy Years (HALE) 72
Years With Illness 11
Australia's HALE of 72 years sits well above the global average, reflecting strong healthcare access and lower rates of preventable disease. However, chronic conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and mental health disorders still account for the 11-year gap between total life expectancy and healthy life expectancy. HALE allows policymakers to identify which diseases create the greatest burden without causing immediate death, revealing where prevention and early intervention could deliver the most impact. Unlike life expectancy alone, HALE captures the lived experience of health across a population's lifespan.
Know This

HALE equals life expectancy minus years lost to disability and disease, revealing the gap between living long and living well that allows comparison of healthy lifespan across countries and population groups.