Trends in European life expectancy: a salutary view

Making a difference to the health of populations, however small, is what most people in public health hope they are doing. Epidemiologists are no ex10 ception. But often caught up in the minutiae of our day-to-day work, it is easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. Is health improving, mortality declining, are things moving in a positive direction? Getting out and taking in the view (metaphorically as well as literally) 15 can have a salutary effect. It broadens our perspectives and challenges our assumptions. Looking at recent trends in European life expectancy is a case in point. Since 1950 estimated life expectancy at birth of the 20 world’s population has been increasing. Initially, this