The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #45622

Sharif Mohammed Ismail Hossain, MBBS MPH, Popualtion Council, House #CES(B) 21, Road #118, Gulshan, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 880-2-8821227/8826657, drsharif@pcdhaka.org and Ubaidur Rob, Ph D, Population Council, House # CES (B) 21, Road # 118, Gulshan, Dhaka, 1212, Bangladesh.

The age structure of Bangladeshi people has been changing with boarding in the middle and top. The youth population is increasing due to population momentum and the elders are due to decease in mortality rate. In developed countries, government provides basic services and protects interest of aging people but in developing countries, lack of policies and programs are the major causes of suffering of the elders. This paper compares Bangladesh census data covering period 1971 to 2001 and analyzes policy and programmatic issues that has undertaken by the government so far for the aging population. Key informants interviews were also conducted to complement the analysis. Analysis revealed about 5 million elders in Bangladesh. It is projected that number of elders would be 10 million in the year 2010. The toll of female elders is also increasing. In Bangladesh, social customs encourage “elderly” to stay with their children and became dependent on children income. However, in most cases, elder people do not have control over financial resources resulting gradual decrease of control over family matters. Moreover, resources are not equally distributed to male and female. Female suffer more, as they do not have control over the property after husband deaths. While there is a growing demands for health care and others essential services, the government has not adopted enough policies and programs for the elders. Study concluded that appropriate policies and programmatic interventions are urgently required to satisfy the growing demands of elders.

Learning Objectives:

• · conceptualize changing patter of elders population
• · lists of basic need of elders in Bangladesh
• · lists policy and programmatic approaches the government has been taken for betterment of the elders
• · list three recommendations for elders population in Bangladesh

Keywords: Aging, Policy/Policy Development

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Population Council
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.