The National Center for Health Statistics is developing a single index combining mortality and morbidity rates to better measure changes in the nation's health status over time. This index uses life table models to calculate two measures: expectation of life free of disability and expectation of disability. These measures are based on two alternative definitions of disability: total volume of disability, which includes all forms of long-term and short-term disability, and bed disability, which includes periods of institutional confinement and noninstitutional bed confinement. In the mid-1960s, the expectation of life free of disability in the United States was about 65 years, compared to a conventional life expectancy of about 70 years. The expected lifetime duration of all forms of disability was approximately 5 years, with 2 years reflecting disability before age 65 and 3 years reflecting disability experienced by persons older than 65. Differences between males and females in expectation of disability are not great, but differences between whites and other persons are substantial and favorable to whites. Expectation of life free of bed disability was about 68 years, and expectation of bed disability was approximately 2 years. Of the 2 years expected bed disability, persons 65 and over account for over 1 year. Differences between males and females in expectation of bed disability are noticeable and favorable to males. Differences between whites and other persons, however, are not substantial. The index provides a more comprehensive measure of health status by incorporating both mortality and morbidity, and it is intended for comparing health status across different population groups. However, the index is not intended as a projection or forecast, but rather as a tool for comparing health status. The index is based on data from the National Center for Health Statistics and is subject to the limitations of the data available.The National Center for Health Statistics is developing a single index combining mortality and morbidity rates to better measure changes in the nation's health status over time. This index uses life table models to calculate two measures: expectation of life free of disability and expectation of disability. These measures are based on two alternative definitions of disability: total volume of disability, which includes all forms of long-term and short-term disability, and bed disability, which includes periods of institutional confinement and noninstitutional bed confinement. In the mid-1960s, the expectation of life free of disability in the United States was about 65 years, compared to a conventional life expectancy of about 70 years. The expected lifetime duration of all forms of disability was approximately 5 years, with 2 years reflecting disability before age 65 and 3 years reflecting disability experienced by persons older than 65. Differences between males and females in expectation of disability are not great, but differences between whites and other persons are substantial and favorable to whites. Expectation of life free of bed disability was about 68 years, and expectation of bed disability was approximately 2 years. Of the 2 years expected bed disability, persons 65 and over account for over 1 year. Differences between males and females in expectation of bed disability are noticeable and favorable to males. Differences between whites and other persons, however, are not substantial. The index provides a more comprehensive measure of health status by incorporating both mortality and morbidity, and it is intended for comparing health status across different population groups. However, the index is not intended as a projection or forecast, but rather as a tool for comparing health status. The index is based on data from the National Center for Health Statistics and is subject to the limitations of the data available.