An update on aging and dementia in Chile

Chile is in an advanced demographic transition stage with the population over 60 years of age representing 15% of the total population and whose number of elderly has more than doubled between 1990 and 2014. Rapid economic advancement has promoted significant changes in social organization to which the country is not accustomed. The mental health problems of the elderly are particularly challenging to the country's present social and health structures. The prevalence of dementia in people over 60 years exceeds 8% and is even higher in the rural population. There is more training on dementia in the local medical and scientific community, increased awareness within the civilian community but insufficient responsiveness from the state to the broad diagnostic and therapeutic requirements of patients and caregivers. The objective of the present study was to provide an update of the information on dementia in the context of the ageing process in Chile.

智利正处于人口转变的高级阶段，60岁及以上人口占总人口的15%，1990年至2014年间，老年人口规模翻番有余。快速的经济发展推动该国社会结构发生显著变革，而智利此前尚未适应这类变化。老年人的心理健康问题对该国当前的社会与医疗体系构成了尤为严峻的挑战。60岁及以上人群的痴呆（dementia）患病率超过8%，农村地区的患病率更高。当前，当地医疗与科研界针对痴呆的培训工作有所增多，民间社会的认知水平也有所提升，但国家对于患者及照护者广泛的诊断与治疗需求的响应仍显不足。本研究旨在针对智利人口老龄化背景下的痴呆相关信息进行一次更新梳理。