On October 12, Hue Central Hospital organized an expanded geriatric conference in 2024 with the theme of comprehensive management of elderly diseases. Notably, statistics released at the conference showed that the proportion of elderly people in Vietnam is increasing rapidly, with each person spending an average of 14 years in hospital in their lifetime.
Medical examination and health care for the elderly at Hue Central Hospital
The conference was attended by professors, associate professors, doctors, and leading experts in the fields of geriatrics, endocrinology - diabetes, cardiology, anesthesia, resuscitation, intensive care... working in major hospitals in Vietnam, along with nearly 200 guests from medical facilities in the Central region.
At the conference, delegates listened to updated reports on strategies to improve elderly health care in Vietnam, new trends in Alzheimer's disease treatment; application of artificial intelligence in elderly health care. There were in-depth treatment topics such as nutrition; optimizing insulin treatment for elderly diabetic patients; heart failure management, application of renal replacement therapy and control of adrenal insufficiency...
Every elderly person in Vietnam spends 14 years in hospital in their lifetime.
The report presented at the conference said that in 2020, the world had about 727 million people aged 65 and over, accounting for 9.3% of the world's total population. This number will more than double by 2050, reaching more than 1.5 billion older people, accounting for 16% of the world's population. By the middle of this century, one in six people in the world will be over 65 years old.
In Vietnam alone, the number of elderly people has been increasing rapidly in recent years. In 2019, there were about 11.4 million elderly people (accounting for 11.86% of the population); by 2022, it had increased to 12% and is forecasted to be 28% by 2050.
The trend is that the population is aging, but in Vietnam, the elderly have a high rate of illness and low health status; on average, each person has to suffer 14 years of illness (calculating the life expectancy of each person is 73 years).
Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Thua Nguyen, Head of the Department of General Internal Medicine - Geriatrics, Hue Central Hospital (left), was elected Chairman of the Geriatrics Association of Thua Thien - Hue province.
Therefore, the health care for the elderly in Vietnam needs to be focused on, in addition to the role of the state, there needs to be the concern and sharing of the whole society. The issue of socialization of the health sector is an urgent requirement today, through the active participation of social organizations and socio-professional organizations.
The conference focused on discussing two main directions in the care and research of elderly diseases: geriatrics (addressing the issue of medical care for the elderly, an age group that is not easy to define precisely); gerontology (study of aging, including biological, sociological and psychological changes).
On this occasion, the Geriatric Association of Thua Thien - Hue province held a congress to establish it according to the decision of the Chairman of the People's Committee of Thua Thien - Hue province. Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Thua Nguyen, Head of the Department of Internal Medicine - Geriatrics, Hue Central Hospital, was elected as the President of the association.
The Geriatrics Association is the first professional association specializing in geriatrics in the Central Highlands region. The establishment of the Geriatrics Association of Thua Thien - Hue province will contribute to the research, prevention, treatment and healthcare of the elderly more effectively.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nguoi-gia-o-viet-nam-trai-qua-trung-binh-14-nam-nam-vien-185241012174059368.htm
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