78.9% of older adult population have some chronic health problem

According to the results of the National Household Survey (ENAHO) of the fourth quarter of the year 2023, 78.9% of the older adult population of the country have some chronic health problem. By residence area, persons of 60 years old and older that live in the urban rest (82.9%) are those that have more chronic health problems; meanwhile in the rural area and in Lima Metropolitan area was of 77.7% and 75.0%, respectively. 

 

This was informed by the National Institute of Statistics and Informatics (INEI) in the technical report Situation of the Older Adult Population, prepared with the results of the National Household Survey (ENAHO).

 

39.9% of the households of the country had among their members at least one person of 60 years old and older. In Lima Metropolitan area, the proportion of households with some member of this population group was of 44.1%, in the households of the rest urban area was of 35.7%; meanwhile, in the rural area 42.8% of the households have among their members an older adult person.

During the fourth quarter of the year 2023, from the total of the population of 60 years old and older, 92.3% have some health insurance (whether public or private) and increased in 2.6 percentage points, compared to the same quarter of the last year (89.7%). 

 

According residence area, in the urban rest (did not include Lima Metropolitan area) the access to a health insurance for older adults, increased from 89.5% to 92.9% (3.4 percentage points), followed by Lima Metropolitan area by going from 89.1% to 91.8% (2.7 percentage points) and in the rural area from 90.9% to 91.9% (1.0 percentage point). 

 

According to type of health insurance that they have access, 34.9% access just to EsSalud and 52.1% just to Comprehensive Health Insurance (SIS), with increases of 0.4 and 1.6 percentage points, compared to the same quarter of the year 2022.

 

Those that access to EsSalud, increased in Lima Metropolitan area by going from 44.3% to 46.3% (2.0 percentage points). In the urban rest it outstood the affiliation to SIS that increased from 46.1% to 49.0% (2.9 percentage points). This trend was also observed in the rural area by going from 82.9% to 84.2% (1.3 percentage points).

During the fourth quarter of the year 2023, the older adult population with some health problem that sought medical attention in an establishment was of 40.5%, a higher figure in 3.9 percentage points, compared to the same quarter of the year 2022 (36.6%). 

 

According to place or establishment of medical consultation, 12.5% attended Ministry of Health (MINSA) establishment, 13.3% sought medical attention in pharmacy or apothecary, 8.0% in Social Health Insurance (EsSalud) establishments and 5.1% went to a private practice. 

 

By residence area, in Lima Metropolitan area, the place or establishment of greater consultation was pharmacy or apothecary with 17.6%, followed by EsSalud with 10.2%, MINSA with 9.9%, and private practice with 6.4%. 

From the total of households headed by a person of 60 years old and older, 48.3% are nuclear type households, it means, they are constituted by a couple or with their daughters or sons.

 

Likewise, 23.0% of the households constituted by older adult persons are single households (composed just by persons of 60 years old and older), 22.3% of households are extended, it means, to the nuclear household are added other relatives, 5.4% are households without core (composed by a chief without spouse or children, that lives with other persons with they can or cannot have family ties) and 1.0% are households composed cause they are inside the household besides the relatives, other members that have not family ties).

 

From the total of households of the country, 26.8% have as female chief or male chief of the household an older adult person; a higher figure in 0.7 percentage point than in the last quarter of the year 2022. 

 

In the urban area 25.9% of the households comply with this condition and increased in 0.8% percentage point. Likewise, in the rural area, 30.1% of the households are headed by a person of 60 years old and older, being this figure higher in 0.5 percentage point than the reported in the same quarter of the year 2022.