[Social inequalities in health in the older population: an insight into the debate on delayed retirement age in Spain from a public health perspective].

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the inequalities in life expectancy in the Spanish population over the age of 65 according to educational level.

METHOD: Cross sectional study on the Spanish population aged 65 years and over. Life expectancy and healthy life expectancy were calculated combining mortality, health and population data.

RESULTS: People aged 65 and over with a lower educational level had shorter lives, with fewer years of good health and more years of poor health. Women lived longer, but with proportionally more years of poor health.

DISCUSSION: Social inequalities in health must be considered in the current debate on delaying the age of retirement.