HALE (Healthy life expectancy)

HALE (Healthy Life Expectancy) is a WHO summary metric defined as the average number of years a person can expect to live in full health, adjusting total life expectancy downward by the time-equivalent lived in states of less than perfect health. It is computed via the Sullivan method using age-specific mortality from life tables and age-specific prevalence of disability/health states from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) framework, with disability weights anchored between 0 (perfect health) and 1 (death). The HALE gap (life expectancy minus HALE) quantifies the morbidity burden over a lifetime. According to WHO Global Health Observatory data (most recent update 2019), Germany's HALE at birth is approximately 70 years versus a total life expectancy of about 81 years, implying roughly 11 years lived in compromised health. HALE underpins cross-country health system comparisons and the Sustainable Development Goal 3 targets.