The exercise of the right to health in older persons in Argentina and Colombia: an approach based on the analysis of mortality due to causes sensitive to health care in the XXI century

Abstract Since Argentina and Colombia recognize health as a fundamental right, and undertake, among other issues, to provide healthcare services to guarantee its exercise without discrimination, our aim is to inquire, comparatively, about the challenges these countries face in fulfilling this commitment for population aged 60 and older. Thus, mortality rates from causes considered sensitive to health care by country, sex and age are calculated and analysed for trienniums 2000-2002 and 2013-2015, based on information from the United Nations. Besides, specific proportions are calculated based on each country’s official surveys. Results show, in both countries and for all groups of causes considered, a higher mortality in men, increasing with age up to 74 years and with a tendency to decline, mainly in Colombia. A more detailed analysis by causes reveals a similar situation in the latter case, unlike Argentina where mortality from respiratory diseases increases. Regardless of these differences, the rates associated to period 2013-2015 reveal, in both countries, the need to increase efforts to continue their reduction (or reverse their increase), with a special focus on those who have fewer resources and on their value as citizens with the same rights as the rest of the population.

摘要：鉴于阿根廷和哥伦比亚将健康视为一项基本权利，并在其他诸多问题上承诺提供医疗服务以确保其无歧视地行使，本研究旨在比较分析这两个国家在履行对60岁及以上老年人口履行此项承诺时所面临的挑战。因此，基于联合国提供的信息，计算并分析了2000-2002年和2013-2015年期间，按国家、性别和年龄划分的健康敏感原因导致的死亡率。此外，根据每个国家的官方调查，计算了特定的比例。结果显示，在两国以及所有考虑的原因组别中，男性的死亡率均高于女性，且死亡率随年龄增长至74岁而上升，在哥伦比亚有下降趋势。进一步按原因进行的详细分析表明，在哥伦比亚，情况与前述相似，而阿根廷的呼吸系统疾病死亡率却在上升。尽管存在这些差异，与2013-2015年时期相关的死亡率揭示了两国均需加大努力以继续降低（或逆转上升趋势），特别是针对那些资源较少的人群，以及他们作为享有与全民同等权利的公民的价值。