Introduction: Healthy life expectancy (HALE) for every country is estimable in global and national level studies, in which the used data, methodologies, and hence the estimates’ values are not necessarily completely identical. Therefore, the current study was performed to estimate healthy life expectancy for Iran’s population, with use of the national-level studies’ data and methodologies for the first time.

Methods: For estimation of life expectancy for 23 out of 28 provinces of Iran (in 2003), registered deaths for 23 provinces were used. For population of 23 provinces, information from Ministry of Health was used and its distribution was taken similar to the results of Demographic and Health Survey of year 1379 (2000), and taken also equal to results of graduation of population from year 1375 (1996) census. Life expectancy was estimated with direct method. Years Lived with Disability (YLD) was calculated from prevalence of diseases and their disability weights, and used in Sullivan’s method for estimation of HALE.

Results: HALE at birth was 62.13 years for total population (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 61.02-63.16), 61.55 years for males (95% CI: 60.61-62.50), and 62.79 years for females (95% CI: 61.84-63.71).

Conclusion: National estimate of healthy life expectancy is 4.5 years higher than similar model-based estimate by World Health Organization. The reason is difference in direct and indirect estimation methods for specific mortality rates and hence the life expectancy, and difference in burden of disability estimation methods used in national and global burden of disease studies.

Hakim Research Journal 2008 10(4): 66- 76.