Longitudinal Surveys, Retrospective Information and Population Health Measures

Although it is preferable to calculate population health indicators such as life expectancies in different health states based on health data from longitudinal surveys, they are almost always calculated using health data from cross-section surveys. One way of overcoming this challenge is to use health information collected retrospectively.
This study is based on two major propositions. The first proposition is that population health indicators can be calculated using data with retrospective information on health. The second proposition is that estimates calculated based on such data would closely approximate estimates calculated based on data with current health information.