Ageing and education level. Effect on population health and in health and wellness policies in Portugal

Carla Leão, CEPESE
Teresa Rodrigues, CEPESE

The current demographic framework shows an overall process of ageing and may be considered as an inevitable phenomenon generator of new challenges for human societies and to all sectors related to it, including the health sector. The consequences of the phenomenon of ageing population in healthcare and other areas of social policies are inevitable and consensual. Some studies have concluded that future changes in education levels of the populations will affect positively their health, and may transform some of the negative effects of ageing. Considering this knowledge, the gradual process of ageing and the ongoing increase in the level of education, and the outcome that these demographic changes and the health conditions of population have a considerable effect in governmental "modus operands", we put the following questions: (1) In the course of the 20th century, social and demographic changes had taken effect in the Portuguese population health profile? (2) Which importance as been attributed, at governmental level, to the health and well-being policies? It is our intention to answer these questions, using as methodology the review of the literature, existing legislation and statistical data related to the subject. This paper is a product of a Project financed by the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia evaluated with the rating Excellent (PTDC/CS-DEM/109967/2009).