Aging
The world crossed an important threshold in 2018, when the number of older people (over sixty-four years old) surpassed the number of young children (under the age of five) for the first time ever. This section explores shifting demographics worldwide and their social, economic, and health consequences.
Aging
In 2018
People over age 65 outnumbered people under age 5
People over age 65 outnumbered people under age 5
2039
Working age pop—25-64 yr—to peak in Latin America
Working age pop—25-64 yr—to peak in Latin America
62%
Population under age 25 in sub-Saharan Africa
Population under age 25 in sub-Saharan Africa
35%
Decrease in women aged 20-40 in China by 2050
Decrease in women aged 20-40 in China by 2050
Featured
An Aging World Requires More Support for Health Systems
Development assistance should reflect this need
The Myth of South Asian Exceptionalism
South Asia's young population conceals the effects that COVID-19 has on its older and more vulnerable people
Age in the Age of COVID-19
Ageism and the opportunity to be different
The Problem of COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in Teens
One high school senior says the decision to vaccinate should rest with teenagers
Putting Vision Loss and Aging into Focus
Addressing high blood sugar can reduce vision loss in older adults
Coronavirus in Toronto—Lessons Lost on a Second SARS
The city's COVID-19 response is strongly informed by the experience of the earlier outbreak—but by no means exceptional
Mothers, Children, and the Terrible Choice Between COVID-19 and Other Infections
Decisive action is required now to protect the most vulnerable from HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria during the pandemic
High-Risk Populations for Severe COVID-19 Infections in the United States
About one quarter of the U.S. adult population could be considered high risk for severe COVID-19 infections
“Ordinary Love” and Extraordinary Compassion
New film starring Liam Neeson and Lesley Manville depicts the gloomy, gray uncertainty of modern breast cancer treatment
Lessons From an Aging Asia
How will demographic shifts affect workforce, health care, gender equality, disaster response, and societal well-being?
The Growing Cancer Threat in Africa
Cancer mortality is increasing in sub-Saharan Africa, where the needed health care infrastructure is still lacking
Age Ain’t Nothing but a Number—Except When it Comes to Health
In some parts of the world, forty is the new seventy
Mass Drug Administration of Azithromycin: Promise or Peril?
Mass drug administration of azithromycin saves children’s lives—is that enough to justify risk of antibiotic resistance?