The Republic of Singapore is an island city-state located off of Southern Malaysia with a global financial center in a tropical climate and a multicultural population. As a developed nation, Singapore has been experiencing exceptional growth in its life expectancy, that is, due to its government’s commitment to health and the care of the elderly population, one of the largest in the world. In the article below, 10 facts about living expectancy in Singapore are presented.

10 Facts About Living Expectancy in Singapore

1. Singapore, with a population of 5.88 million people, is ranked 3rd in the world in life expectancy with an average lifespan of 83.1. The country is only behind Switzerland and Japan that have expected lifespans of 83.4 and 83.7 years, respectively. The country ranking has steadily raised an average of 0.2 every year since 2000 and by 0.1 every year since 2010.
2. In healthy life expectancy, the statistics that refers to the number of years people live in full health, Singapore is ranked 2nd in the world at 73.9, behind only Japan at 74.9. As of 1990, the country earned a ranking of “good” by WHO in full health category.
3. Women have a higher life expectancy than men, as they are expected to live until 85.2 years, while men are expected to live up to 80.7 years. In comparison to other countries, the women’s ranking is 2nd in the world, while the men’s ranking is 10th in the world. Life expectancy for the country, in total, is 83.1 years.
4. Part of the reason that the Republic of Singapore has been able to establish itself as such a dominant force in life expectancy and health is the country’s expenditure on research and development in health and medical sciences as a percentage of the GDP, which is second only to South Korea. Advancements in health care and medical technology, as well as improved living conditions and better nutrition, access to sanitation and reduced risk of epidemic infectious diseases, are all benefitting the population of the country.
5. Singapore is ranked at the first place globally in terms of the proportion of births that are attended by skilled health personnel. The infant mortality rate is down to 2.2 percent in the country. The fertility rate is 1.2 and the crude birth rate is 9.4 percent.
6. Singapore is third globally for the lowest road traffic mortality rate and fourth in deaths related to air pollution. The country has the lowest mortality rate for cardiovascular or chronic respiratory diseases and the ones that are attributed to unsafe water or lack of hygiene.
7. As it relates to common health risk factors, Singapore boasts good ratings in these categories as well. Its people drink an average of 2.0 liters of alcohol per year, ranking them 145th in the world. Out of the total number of men in Singapore, 28 percent of them smoke, which gives them a rank of 81 in the world, while 5 percent of women smoke, giving them a ranking of 82. Only 5.8 percent of men are obese in Singapore, ranking the country in 139th place worldwide, while the women are at 6.3 percent (182nd). Their overall happiness score is 6.34 or 33rd on a global level.
8. Singapore has started to promote frequent check-ups to help detect illnesses early and raise awareness of preventive medicine to help its population as they continue to age. With the support of this community, seniors are leading more active and productive lives, keeping in mind the value of being busy and working longer.
9. Studies have shown that societies with a large senior population volunteer more and value connecting with their communities. They have the time and the inclination to be deeply engaged in their communities and seniors find that it keeps them young and active. Governments could create opportunities for the elderly to contribute. Singapore’s elderly have started at home, helping with child care, and have been branching out into society ever since. They are finding that this helps strengthen the intergenerational bonds while keeping them mentally active.
10. Singapore’s government found that people are not starting to save early enough for retirement and that they need more assistance in financial and retirement planning. Now that they are living longer, they need clear financial adequacy tools to help people address such questions. They also found that older people need to focus on eating balanced diets and regular fitness while staying busy and mentally active so that they can live full lives as they continue to live longer.

Large contributions to the 10 facts about life expectancy in Singapore are the health system and how important health issues are addressed. With the intense focus has been put on making the lives of the country’s citizens better, life expectancy is only getting longer and elderly citizens must now learn how to finance their retirement to provide for themselves longer. The government is taking steps to help its aging population deal with their new reality by stressing the importance of mental and physical activity.

– Michela Rahaim

Photo: Flickr