Population Aging and Magnitude of Dependency in Argentina and México: Comparative perspective with Spain

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to analyze the aging population processes and the size of the population with long-term care needs currently in Mexico and Argentina, from a comparative perspective with Spain. Historical series of the proportion of people 65 years and older were built based on the census data of population of each country. The number of people with long-term care needs and the prevalence of this condition were estimated from disability or aging surveys for Argentina, Spain and Mexico, using indicators of Basic and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living. The results indicate that both Argentina and Mexico have care dependency prevalence higher than that observed for Spain. This result, in addition to the rapid growth in the elderly population in the region, highlights the need to move forward in designing policies for prevention and long-term care for dependent individuals in these countries.