Health Issues In Aging Population

Elderly men and women in rural areas around the world are at an increased risk of death due to preventable and treatable diseases. As you age, your immune system can become compromised, which can lead to an increased risk of death from otherwise treatable diseases. Tropical and infectious diseases in the rural areas of the world have led to a health crisis. The infections in elderly patients are often more frequent and severe than normal. Tuberculosis, HIV, malaria, pneumonia, diarrheal diseases and other vector diseases can lead to malnutrition and dehydration in the elderly.

The Infectious Disease Society of America reports that the leading causes of deaths associated with infectious diseases include respiratory infections, diarrheal diseases, HIV, hepatitis, tuberculosis and malaria. Let's take a look at some of the tropical infections that plague the elderly in developing countries.

·         Malaria – Malaria is one of the most common causes of deaths in the elderly. Oftentimes, this infectious disease can cause cerebral complication and lead to an increased risk of fatalities.

·         HIV/AIDS – Throughout the world, the number of cases of HIV in the elderly is increasing. The main symptoms associated with HIV in the elderly are wasting, diarrhea, weight loss and fever. Elderly sufferers have a shorter survival time. Additionally, coinfections (malaria, leishmaniasis, diarrheal diseases, tuberculosis and pneumonia) are more common in the elderly.

·         Tuberculosis – The elderly population in developing countries is seeing an increase in the number of cases of tuberculosis. In the elderly, the onset of symptoms after the contraction of the disease is longer and the outcomes in the elderly are much worse than the outcomes in younger people.

·         Infectious diarrhea – One of the main causes of death in developing countries is infectious diarrhea. Numerous types of bacteria, viruses and protozoa are in water supplies due to poor sanitation practices.

·         Influenza – Worldwide, the effects of influenza in the elderly are devastating. In elderly patients, the risk of pneumonia increases dramatically with age due to a weaker immune system. Although there are vaccinations to help prevent influenzas, access to medical services is limited due to poverty, disabilities and remote villages with no medical staff.

According to the United Nations, the global life expectancy is currently 71 years of age and is expected to rise to 77 by the year 2050. In the year 2017, there were approximately 962 million people over the age of 60 in the world, which accounts for 13 percent of the global population. These numbers will continue to increase, and the elderly population is expected to exceed 1 billion by the year 2030.

Unless something is done to help improve access to medical services, the number of deaths associated with the health issues of the elderly will begin to rise. We must work together to educate the elderly, teach families farming techniques and skills to help families get out of poverty, improve sanitation services in rural areas and provide safe, clean drinking water to protect the elderly population and reduce the risk of infectious diseases.