(RxWiki News) As health care and medicine have improved, so has life expectancy. That means an older world — and maybe some public health hurdles.
A new population report from the US Census Bureau found that the number of people age 65 and older in the United States may jump from 48 million to 88 million by 2050.
“Older people are a rapidly growing proportion of the world’s population,” said NIA Director Richard J. Hodes, MD, in a press release. “People are living longer, but that does not necessarily mean that they are living healthier. The increase in our aging population presents many opportunities and also several public health challenges that we need to prepare for."
The researchers behind this report noted that noncommunicable diseases — such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes — are among the main public health concerns for an aging population, particularly as long-term health care needs increase.
Speak to your doctor or pharmacist about best to manage your health now and for the future.
This report was published on the US Census Bureau website. The report authors disclosed no outside funding sources or conflicts of interest.
