Cognitive and Mental Health Expectancies

Research on cognitive and mental health expectancies has slowly accumulated over the past decade, with wider geographic coverage and evaluation of results within sub-population characterised by demographic or health factors. Most studies show that women spend more years with dementia and cognitive impairment than men, despite longer life expectancies. While cognitive health expectancies are particularly important for describing outcomes for older adults, mental health expectancies are particularly important for outcomes in younger adults. Methodological challenges in this field relate to the consistency in measurement of outcomes, particularly given language and cultural differences, as well as the interpretation of findings over time. Significant knowledge gaps remain with a lack of data from particular regions and countries, and for several mental disorders.