%0 Journal Article
%T Prevalence of Successful Aging in the Elderly in Western Mexico
%A Elva Dolores Arias-Merino
%A Neyda Ma. Mendoza-Ruvalcaba
%A Martha Judith Arias-Merino
%A Jazm¨ªn Cueva-Contreras
%A Carlos Vazquez Arias
%J Current Gerontology and Geriatrics Research
%D 2012
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2012/460249
%X Objectives. The aim of this paper is to estimate the prevalence of successful aging in the elderly in Western Mexico and to analyze its variability by age, sex, education, marital status, and pension. Methods. This study employs data from the Health, Wellbeing, and Aging Study (SABE) in Jalisco and Colima, Mexico. Successful aging was operationalized in accordance with no important disease, no disability, physical functioning, cognitive functioning, and being actively. There were a total of 3116 elderly. Results. 12.6% of older adults were ¡°successful¡± aging. The old-old is a lower proportion of successful aging people; it ranges from 18.9% among people aged 60¨C69 years to 3.9% in the 80¨C89 years and up to 1% in people 90 and older. There were also differences according to sex , with a higher proportion of successful aging men (18.4% compared with 9.2% of women). There were differences in educational level ; those higher with education were found to be more successful aging, and also there were differences in marital status for married people . Discussion. A small number of older adults meet the criteria definition of successful aging, suggesting the need to analyze in depth the concept and the indicators. 1. Introduction The increase in the relative and absolute number of older people in our society has posed a major challenge for both individual and collective levels in the study of aging. It had appeared various contributions, at the individual level, extending the biological perspective of disease and disability with a more positive and comprehensive one, covering the social and behavioral sciences to reduce the risk of adverse events and improve the resilience of the seniors and make changes in their immediate surroundings [1]. At the population level, aging is seen as a challenge that involves, in addition, as stated by Fernandez-Ballesteros [2], challenges such as the double burden of disease, increased risk of disability, having to provide adequate care for the aging population, addressing inequalities, economic challenges, and having a different view of aging and old age. In industrialized countries, demographic and social changes of the population have brought into discussion the approach of public policies on aging related to pensions, employment, health social care, and protection of citizenship. In this context emerges a new paradigm that implies a new vision of aging, a positive vision, called ¡°active aging¡±. The WHO has considered that Active Ageing is the key if it is wanted to make aging a positive experience and free of disability,
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/cggr/2012/460249/