Shapiro D P
Ear Nose Throat J. 1999 Jun;78(6):418-21.
Changing demographic trends in our country will have a profound influence on the future practice of otolaryngology. As a result of declining birth rates and increasing lifespans, the geriatric population has already become the fastest-growing segment of our society, and it will continue to be so for decades to come. A larger percentage of patients treated by otolaryngologists will be in the over-65 age group. It will become important to confront not only the medical treatment of this segment of the population, but also the socioeconomic effects of these demographic changes. Familiarity with the terminology, concepts, and statistics of demography is key to understanding the influence that the aging of the population will have on the practice of otolaryngology.
我国人口结构趋势的变化将对未来耳鼻喉科的实践产生深远影响。由于出生率下降和寿命延长，老年人口已成为我国社会中增长最快的群体，并且在未来几十年仍将如此。耳鼻喉科医生治疗的患者中，65岁以上年龄组的比例将更高。不仅应对这部分人群的医疗问题，还要应对这些人口变化的社会经济影响，这将变得至关重要。熟悉人口统计学的术语、概念和统计数据是理解人口老龄化对耳鼻喉科实践影响的关键。
