[Morbidity characteristics among elderly Mexicans: an analysis of the 1988 National Health Survey].

OBJECTIVE

Based on the 1988 National Health Survey data base, a preliminary approach to an epidemiologic profile of the Mexican elderly is proposed.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This paper analyzes both reported prevalences of some of the principal health problems in Mexicans over 60 years of age and the relationship between selected morbidity, socio-demographic variables and impairment of daily living activities, stratified by age.

RESULTS

Results show that: a) the panorama of reported morbidity among the Mexican elderly is a combination of multiple causes, b) socially defined groups present heterogeneous disease patterns, c) selected morbidity is strongly related to daily living activity impairments.

CONCLUSIONS

This approach may be used to improve research on living and health conditions of the Mexican elderly.