The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

4270.0: Tuesday, November 12, 2002 - Board 2

Abstract #42382

Beyond 2000: Demographic challenges for public health in Mexico

Guillermo J. Gonzalez-Perez, PhD, Maria Guadalupe Vega-Lopez, PhD, Armando Muñoz de la Torre, MPH, Carlos Cabrera-Pivaral, PhD, and Samuel Romero-Valle, MPH. Center for Health, Population and Human Development Studies, University of Guadalajara, Mexico, Modena 1134. Colonia Providencia. Sector Hidalgo, Guadalajara, Jalisco, 44630, Mexico, 52(33)36411119, ggonzal@udgserv.cencar.udg.mx

This study seeks, by describing the most relevant aspects of Mexico’s recent demographic history and the existent forecasts in this field for the next 25 years, to identify the possible demographic challenges to overcome for health institutions in the first quarter of the 21st century. The population estimates and projections prepared by national institutions such as the National Population Council (CONAPO) and international institutions such as The Latin American Demographics Center (CELADE), as well as statistical information generated by the National Institute of Statistics, Geography, and Informatics (INEGI) were used to obtain demographic indicators; also, demographic and statistics methods -like life table, time series analysis, or rates' standardization, among others, were used to analyze the available data. Thus, some of the demographic challenges for the Mexican health services to confront in the coming years were identified. Among them stand out: the need to train human resources and strengthen the health infrastructure to face Mexico's new demographic reality; guaranteeing timely and appropriate care both for the growing elderly population, the large children's population, and those female population in reproductive age; achieving that health services adjust themselves to the demographic diversity of the country's different regions and states; and reducing the lags in the area of mortality and fertility shown by Mexico in relation to other countries.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to

Keywords: Developing Countries, Public Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA