Increased morbidity and mortality is resulting in both a smaller and younger economically active population. Both morbidity and mortality have economic repercussions for all levels of society, from the individual through to the government level. For example, individual level economic repercussions may include the diversion of household resources to health care during times of illness (and funeral costs at death). Labour market economic repercussions include costs associated with, for example, increased absenteeism and staff attrition. In short, all levels of society interact with one another and as a result, all will be affected. The resulting macro-economic impact is not the cumulative impact of each of these levels but rather the collective effect of the interactions between the various levels.