When governments increase their investments in programs that promote healthy aging, health care costs are reduced, according to the Preventive Care and Healthy Ageing: A Global Perspective, a Pfizer-sponsored report from the Economist Intelligence Unit.
"It's crucial for policymakers to consider measures that help aging individuals remain active and healthy members of society to avoid the heavy burdens associated with the cost of long-term care," says Katherine Dorr Abreu, editor of the report. "The EIU's report states preventive measures can have up to a fourfold return on investment and can help adults maintain an optimal quality of life as they age."
The report, which includes data from Brazil, China, India, Japan, Russia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States, finds that age-related, infectious diseases, such as pneumonia and influenza, along with noninfectious chronic diseases, such as heart disease and stroke, are having impacting older adults for longer time frames. This contributes to rising health care costs and considerably limits a worker's productivity and need for support.
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With global health care reforms, greater mobility and changing attitudes are causing governments to spend more for care for their older citizens; however, governments are having trouble keep up with the rise in chronic conditions as most health care systems have instead focused on treating acute illnesses, the study finds. Immunization is one of the most cost-effective preventive measures for older people, but it is underused because of structural and social barriers. Among developing countries, preventive care is considered an unaffordable luxury.
"As the world's aging population increases, there is a greater need to educate all people about preventive health measures, like nutrition, regular exercise, appropriate screenings and vaccinations and to encourage people of all ages to play an active role in addressing the health challenges facing them and society overall," says Dr. Jack Watters, vice president, external medical affairs of Pfizer. "Importantly, preventive care programs must be supported by all stakeholders and integrated into national health care systems in order to be successful."
The report also finds several ways for countries to reduce cases of infectious and chronic diseases while managing long-term spending. Health screenings are one method and have been used in Japan where the number of older citizens considered healthy and active is estimated to grow from 18.9 million in 2000 to 30.3 million in 2025. This is attributed to employers requiring annual health screenings for every employee.
Vaccination programs have also been successful, the report finds, especially in Brazil after conducting campaigns to encourage vaccination among adults for contagious diseases.Wellness initiatives are popular in the United States where government funding is limited, and private-sector employers are promoting wellness via smoking cessation and diet and exercise programs. Some are even hosting yearly flu vaccine drives.
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