Aging, diversity, and health: the Brazilian and the Canadian context

Abstract

Aging is a universal and yet diverse phenomenon. This paper presents a review on the topic of diversity in the context of the aging populations in Brazil and Canada. The diversity of the aging population in both countries is discussed in terms of gender, ethnicity, age groups and living conditions while considering the impact on the health care systems. Understanding and reflecting on the Brazilian and Canadian realities reinforces the need for respecting these diversities when developing and implementing local health policies and interventions. There are some similarities regarding gender, but marked differences in immigration patterns, education and living arrangements. The heterogeneity in the aging process within each country and between them carries different expectations and generates social consequences that manifest themselves in differences in health situations, resulting in new challenges to health services and the formulation of public policies for this age group in both countries. Keywords: Cultural diversity; Demographic aging; Elderly; Health Care (Public health); Cross-cultural comparison RESUMOO envelhecimento é um fenômeno universal e ainda diverso. Este estudo apresenta uma revisão sobre a diversidade no contexto do envelhecimento populacional no Brasil e Canadá. Esta diversidade em ambos os países é discutida em termos de gênero, etnia, faixa etária e condições de vida ao considerar o impacto aos sistemas de saúde. Entender e refletir sobre as realidades brasileira e canadense reforça a necessidade de respeitar essas diversidades no desenvolvimento e implementação de políticas locais de saúde e de intervenções em saúde. Existem algumas semelhanças em relação ao gênero, mas destacam-se diferenças nos padrões de imigração, educação e arranjos domiciliares. A heterogeneidade no processo de envelhecimento de cada país e, entre eles, envolve diferentes expectativas e gera consequências sociais que se manifestam em distintas situações de saúde, resultando em novos desafios aos serviços de saúde e na formulação de políticas públicas para esse grupo etário em ambos os países. Descritores: Diversidade cultural; Envelhecimento da população; Idoso; Atenção à saúde; Comparação transcultural RESUMENEl envejecimiento es un fenómeno universal y aun diverso. En este estudio se presenta una revisión sobre la diversidad en el contexto del envejecimiento poblacional en el Brasil y Canadá. Esta diversidad en ambos países es discutida en términos de género, etnia, grupo etáreo y condiciones de vida al considerar el impacto para los sistemas de salud. Entender y reflexionar sobre las realidades brasileña y canadiense refuerza la necesidad de respetar esas diversidades en el desarrollo e implementación de políticas locales de salud y de intervenciones en salud. Existen algunas semejanzas en relación al género, sin embargo se destacan diferencias en los patrones de inmigración, educación y arreglos domiciliarios. La heterogeneidad en el proceso de envejecimiento de cada país y, entre ellos, involucra diferent...

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