Ferrucci Luigi, Giallauria Francesco, Guralnik Jack M
Longitudinal Studies Section, Clinical Research Branch, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, MD, USA.
Radiol Clin North Am. 2008 Jul;46(4):643-52, v. doi: 10.1016/j.rcl.2008.07.005.
Over the past century, truly remarkable changes have been observed in the health of older persons throughout the world, and these changes have strongly impacted society. The growth of the older population has resulted mostly from a general increase in the overall population size but is also strongly influenced by major declines in leading causes of mortality. These demographic transformations reverberate in society, increasing medical care and social needs, which are expected to increase steeply in the years to come. Based on demographic and epidemiologic perspectives, these changes were already detectable decades before and should have prompted radical changes in the structure and function of our system of health and social protection at that time. We come to this enormous challenge unprepared.
在过去的一个世纪里，全世界老年人的健康状况发生了显著变化，这些变化对社会产生了重大影响。老年人口的增长主要源于总人口规模的普遍增加，但也受到主要死因大幅下降的强烈影响。这些人口结构的转变在社会中产生了反响，增加了医疗保健和社会需求，预计在未来几年还会急剧增加。从人口统计学和流行病学的角度来看，这些变化在几十年前就已经可以察觉到了，那时就应该促使我们的健康和社会保护体系在结构和功能上发生根本性的变化。然而，我们面对这一巨大挑战却毫无准备。
