The Impact of the AIDS Epidemic on the Health of the Elderly in Tanzania

Ainsworth, Martha ; Dayton, Julia

World Bank, Washington, DC

关键词: ADULTS;    AGED;    AGING;    ARGUMENTS;    CANCER;   

DOI  :  10.1596/1813-9450-2649
RP-ID  :  WPS2649

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

By the end of 1999, an estimated 24.5million Africans were living with HIV/AIDS, accounting formore that seventy percent of all global infections. InTanzania, an estimated 1.3 million people (of a totalpopulation of 33 million) were believed to be infected withHIV, and 140,000 had already died of AIDS. One in every 12adults is infected. African couples have large families,partly so there will be adult children to support parents inold age. Instead, because of the AIDS epidemic, the elderlyare often caring for their infected children, or orphanedgrandchildren. The authors use longitudinal household datafrom Tanzania's Kagera region, to measure the impact ofprime-age adult mortality on the level, and changes inphysical well-being (as measured by body mass index, or BMI)of the elderly. They find that the elderly in non-poorhouseholds have higher BMI. Non-poor households are morelikely to have an adult death, and the elderly in thesehouseholds are more likely to suffer declining BMI in themonths before the death of a prime-age adult. The elderly inboth poor, and non-poor households experience a significantdrop in BMI after an adult death, but BMI recovers overtime, and there is no long-run association with BMI levels,and recent adult deaths. The elderly hit hardest are thosein households nor receiving private transfers. Privatetransfers received by other household members raise the BMIof the elderly, especially after a recent adult death. Thereis no evidence that nongovernmental organizations, or publicassistance to the household affects short-run changes inBMI. The elderly who have more living children arephysically better off, but short-run increases in the numberof teenagers in the household are associated with declinesin BMI. Improving the incomes, and assets of the poor is keyto improving the overall BMI of the elderly. The elderly whohave more assets (such as better quality dwellings) tend tohave higher BMI. Controlling for individual, and householdcharacteristics, the elderly in communities with roads thatare navigable year-round, have substantially higher BMI.Prevention of communicable diseases is key to reducingshort-run fluctuations in BMI - through preventing HIV, andcommunity immunization programs that benefit the elderly.