Never too late: prevention in an ageing world

Author(s)

INTERNATIONAL LONGEVITY CENTRE UK

Publisher(s):

International Longevity Centre UK

Publication year:

2020

This report explores how health care systems can better prevent ill health across people's lives, focusing on people interventions among those aged 50 and over. It presents analysis focussing on a small number of diseases where preventative interventions by healthcare systems could make a real difference to people’s health and wellbeing. These are cardiovascular, lung cancer, type 2 diabetes and HIV. It also considers the case of flu. It presents a snapshot of the potential burden and cost of these diseases, such as costs due to sick days, presenteeism and early retirement. It also provides brief overviews of preventative interventions, which have the potential to help people live healthier for longer. The analysis presented in the report shows that failure to invest in prevention will bring substantial social, health and economic costs. It argues that in order to follow through on commitments to prevention, governments need to improve access to preventative interventions to tackle growing health inequalities; encourage populations, professionals and policymakers to promote good health and prevent illness; and effectively utilise technology to deliver preventative interventions. (Edited publisher abstract)