Older adults under a mixed regime of infectious and chronic diseases

OBJECTIVE: Analyze the impact of a mixed regime of infectious and chronic conditions among older adults in Mexico on their health progression. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 12 207 adults from the Mexican Health and Aging Study were included. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the relationship between self-reported health (SRH) and covariates, including infectious and chronic diseases. Changes in SRH between 2001-2003 were analyzed using multinomial analysis. RESULTS: Older age, low SES, poor SRH and type of disease at baseline increase the odds of poor SRH at follow-up. Odds of poor SRH are highest for persons with both types of diseases (OR 2.63, SE 0.24), followed by only chronic (OR 1.86; SE 0.12) and finally only infectious (OR 1.55; SE 0.25). CONCLUSION: Mexico is experiencing a mixed regime of diseases that affects the health and well-being of older adults. Despite the rising importance of chronic diseases in countries like Mexico, it is premature to disregard the relevance of infectious diseases for public health.