DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE AND HEALTH CONDITIONS OF THE ELDERLY IN A COMMUNITY IN AN URBAN AREA OF SOUTHEASTERN BRAZIL

Some specific characteristics of the aging of the Brazilian population in different areas, states and communities all over the country have shown significant variations. Historical series of demographic and hea lth indicators for the population in their sixties and over in Brazil, state of S. Paulo and in the municipal district of Araraquara are lis ted as follows: level of education and urban population growth rate, i ncome distribution, mortality rates and main causes of death. In 1991 the aged constituled were 7,8% of the Brazilian population and 9,7% in Araraquara community. The elderly population (of 70 years of aged and above) as a proportion of the whole, has increased and already stands for 40%. The same trend holds good for both the proportion of aged wi thin the urban population and their level of education wich increased to 90% in 1991. The main causes of death are chronic degenerative dise ases which have replaced the infectious illness: firts, the diseases o f the circulatory sistem (which account for more than 40% of all death s) and the neoplasms (which let to 15% of the deaths). On the basis of these health and demographic data relating to people of 60 years of a ge and over; this study suggests some procedures for the improvement o f the quality of the assistance given to the target population: a) the assistance give to the aged should be improved by providing gerontolo gical training for general physicians and nurses, both of public and p rivate clinics; b) the already existing educational activities for the aged, for health workers and for teachers of secundary education shou ld be further developed; c) the number of day-hospitals should be incr eased for the purpose of avoiding unnecessary confinement so as mainta in the low rate of institutionalization in homes for the elderly (0,7% in Araraquara). It is reported that at least 35% of the aged populati on in this area is entitled to private health assistance, wich brings out the importance of including such services in the local health prog rams for this group.