Forgotten older people: health system debt




Carmen García-Peña, Dirección General, Instituto Nacional de Geriatría, Ciudad de México, México
Raúl H. Medina-Campos, Dirección de Investigación, Instituto Nacional de Geriatría, Ciudad de México, México
Mario U. Pérez-Zepeda, Departamento de Investigación Epidemiológica, Instituto Nacional de Geriatría, Ciudad de México, México
Jimena Vázquez-García, Departamento de Gobierno, University of Essex, Essex, Reino Unido
Diego Terán, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
Alethse de la Torre-Rosas, Dirección General, Centro Nacional para la Prevención y el Control del VIH y el Sida, Secretaría de Salud, Ciudad de México, México


The exercise of all human rights is inherent to all persons, which must be guaranteed by the States regardless of the characteristics of all persons, such as age, gender, sexual preferences, ethnic origin, nationality or migratory status. This document presents a reflection on the discrimination that older people face not only because they are older (ageism), but also because of other characteristics that place them in a situation of greater vulnerability and discrimination, such as belonging to the LGBT+ community, being in prisons or having HIV. It urges reflection on the role and sensitivity with which public institutions, mainly health institutions, must have to guarantee a fundamental right such as health, not only in the physical aspect but also in the mental one. The health challenges that the country faces are presented, and a call is made to leave no one behind, encouraging the most vulnerable populations to have immediate attention free of discrimination. The elderly are the present and the future of the realities of our countries, where Mexico is no exception.



Keywords: Older people. Loneliness. HIV/AIDS. Vulnerability.




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