MORBIDITY CHARACTERISTICS AMONG ELDERLY M EXICANS - AN ANALYSIS OF THE 1988 NATIONAL-HEALTH SURVEY

Objective, Based on the 1988 National Health Survey data base, a preli minary approach to an epidemiologic profile of the Mexican elderly is proposed. Material and methods, This paper analyzes both, reported pre valences of some of the principal health problems in Mexicans over 60 years of age and the relationship between selected morbidity, socio-de mographic variables and impairment of daily living activities, stratif ied by age. Results, Results show that: a) the panorama of reported mo rbidity 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 impai rments. Conclusions. This approach may be used to improve research on living and health conditions of the Mexican elderly.