1. Purpose: To present a Health Situational Analysis of the Older Persons in Barbados

2. INTRODUCTION

4.  Total population 275000  Males 132 =48%  Females 143 =52%  Age Index Pop> 15 yrs 20.6%  Pop 60 yrs and over 16.5%  Pop 80 yrs and over 3.6%  Median Age 34.7%  Total life Expectancy at birth 74.9 male/79 female  Total Fertility rate 1.5 births per woman  Infant mortality rate fluctuated between 13 -14 per 1,000 live births in the period 2002 to 2003.

6. The Barbados economy grew at an annual average rate of 3% from 1993 until 2000. Following a short- lived recession in 2001, the growth trend resumed by mid-2002 and by 2006, it was estimated at about 3.7% per annum. In the period 1991 to 1994, per capita income fell below the 1990 level of US $5,750. However, with sustained economic growth post-1994, per capita income rose from US $6,000, to US $7,000, to US $9,050 and US $10,0004 in 1995, 2000, 2005 and 2007, respectively. (US$1.00 = BD$2.00).

7.  Health Services GDP 5.1% - 5.6%  Access health Care- Free at point of Delivery funded through general taxation  persons 65 years and over; b) children under 16 years of age; and c) persons who receive prescribed Formulary  Drugs for the treatment of hypertension, diabetes, cancer, asthma and/or epilepsy.

9.  Major challenge morbidity and mortality related to NCD e.g diabetes, hypertension cancer, obesity

10.  Comprehensive health care is provided through a network of primary, acute, secondary and tertiary care institutions that ensures appropriate care to every member of the family.

12.  Specific health Indicators related older persons  Collection of data in related to NCD and age- related diseases e.g Alzheimers  Challenge is inconsistencies data from relevant sources

13.  Conduct surveys  Research on social indicators affecting the aged.  Desegregate data of age 65 +and sex( housing, education statistics etc)