Preventative interventions work, they are often highly cost-effective and can bring significant social and economic benefits. But we’re still failing to prioritise prevention right across the life course. For too long preventative services in health have been the first to be cut and last to receive investment. In an ageing world this needs to change.
The publication Never too late: Prevention in an ageing world by the International Longevity Centre (ILC-UK) report finds that:
- In better off countries, in 2017 alone, 27.1 million years were lived with disability due to a number of largely preventable diseases;
- Over the next 25 years, time lived in poor health is set to increase by 17%;
- Among those aged 50-64, these preventable illnesses cost better off countries more than £500 billion in productivity losses every year.
Over the past year, ILC has spoken to policymakers and thought leaders across the world, including at a side event to the G20 Health Ministers’ meeting to see what works/ what doesn’t and what we need to do to ensure preventative interventions are embedded in health systems across the life course.
