Profile of the Older People of Latin America
and the Caribbean
Washington, DC, January 13, 2004 (PAHO)—A profile of the aging
in Latin America and the Caribbean contained in a new Pan American Health Organization
(PAHO) report shows that an estimated 60 percent of the region’s older populations
are women.
Other characteristics of the region’s booming senior populations:
• The majority of older people live in urban areas.
• The majority has only a primary level of education.
• Forty percent of men 60 years and older are still working while only
eight percent of women have any paid employment.
• A higher proportion of women than men are not living with a spouse
or partner, but live with a child or another relative.
These profiles and other characteristics of older persons in Latin America
and the Caribbean are contained in the report on The State of Aging and Health
in Latin America and the Caribbean, the first ever of its kind, being released
Tuesday (Jan. 27) at PAHO’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. It was prepared
jointly by PAHO and the Merck Institute of Aging & Health (MIAH).
The report divided Latin America and the Caribbean in four sub regions for
the socio-economic profiles of older persons:
1. The Andean Countries: The “aging index” (the number of people
60 years or older per 100 children under 15) will double in these countries in
two decades. “Unlike the experience of other parts of Latin America, countries
in this region will need to target the rural elder.”
2. Central America, the Spanish-speaking Caribbean and Haiti: This region is
characterized by wide differences in the speed and growth of population aging.
During the next two decades, Cuba and Puerto Rico will have more persons 60 and
older than children under 15. The Dominican Republic, Costa Rica and Panama will
have at least one older person per every two children. The rest of the countries
will have at least one older person per every four children. Nutritional and metabolic
diseases in the older population in this region are expected to be one of the
principal risks of morbidity.
3. English-speaking Caribbean and Netherlands Antilles: The health and economic
profile of the population aged 60 and over in this region is largely determined
by the double impact of “in and out migration.” Older women in particular
are affected by this phenomenon. Due to the migration of younger generations,
they are left to care for grandchildren with decreasing family & social support
systems. At the same time, migration of retired persons back to their homelands
after many years of working abroad has a significant impact on the demand for
health and social services.
4. Southern Cone and Mexico: The countries in this sub region together have
two-thirds of the total older population in Latin America and the Caribbean. Brazil
and Mexico alone have 50% of all older persons in the region. This region also
has the oldest country in the hemisphere -- Uruguay with 17% of persons 60 years
and older. During the next two decades, all of these countries with the exception
of Paraguay will have at least one older person per two children under 15. Uruguay
will have as many older persons as children.
In trying to put things in perspective, the reports notes that in 2000 the
United
States had 3.3 percent of the population aged 80 and over and by 2050; this number
will grow to eight percent. Ten countries, three from the southern cone of South
America and the rest from the Caribbean, will reach similar proportions by 2025.
“Moreover,” the report adds, “five countries will have over
eight percent of their populations aged 80 and over. In the case of Cuba and Barbados,
over 10 percent of the population will be the ‘oldest old’.”
PAHO was established in 1902 and is the world’s oldest public health
organization. PAHO works with all the countries of the Americas to improve the
health and the quality of life of people of the Americas. It serves as the Regional
Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization (WHO).
PAHO Member States today include all 35 countries in the Americas. France,
the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
Ireland are Participating States. Portugal and Spain are Observer States, and
Puerto Rico is an Associate Member.
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