Ageing and health

In almost every country in the Western Pacific Region, populations are ageing. These demographic shifts are due to large birth cohorts in the past and higher rates of survival, even in the older age groups. The average life expectancy for the Region is 70.5 years for both sexes, 68.6 for males and 72.5 for females, with significant variation between countries.

At present, the Region is home to one third of the world's population of persons aged 65 years and over. More than half are women.

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Fact sheets

No fact sheets available at this time.

News and press releases

19 February 2002
TB Rising with Ageing Populations in East Asia
[full text]

07 April 1999
Active and Healthy Ageing
[full text]

Relevant publications and documents

Health in Asia and the Pacific
Countries in Asia and the Pacific have reached unprecedented levels of prosperity, but millions of people are still mired in poverty and poor health, with no sign of their being able to breach the barrier to better medical care. Despite irrefutable evidence of this troubling gap between rich and poor, few governments and health specialists have access to the data they need to address the problem.

Integrating Poverty and Gender into Health Programmes: A Sourcebook for Health Professionals (Module on Ageing)

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Upcoming meetings and events

No meeting/event planned at this time.

Contacts

Acting Regional Adviser
Health Promotion