The issue in the quote is (premature?) death as it relates to economic competitiveness. That is why early -- that is, in working years -- matters more than late

The issue in the quote is (premature?) death as it relates to economic competitiveness. That is why early -- that is, in working years -- matters more than late. Late and slow death has its own indirect impact on economic competitiveness, but that is not the focus of the quote, imho.