Language: Spanish
References: 0
Page: 449-456
PDF size: 450.95 Kb.

ABSTRACT

Disability at the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) is a priority due to the demand for highly specialized health services, cost of care, and pensions provided to disabled persons. Because the insured population under its protection is rapidly aging, disability threatens social security finances and the health care system. The National Health Survey (2000) provides important information regarding the characteristics of disabled persons insured by the IMSS. Prevalence of disability at a national level was 2.3%, and in the IMSS, 2.5 %.The states most affected were Guanajuato (4.4%), Nayarit (3.7%), Colima (3.1%), Oaxaca (3.1%),Durango (3.1%), Puebla (3%), and Jalisco (3%). Disability affects the elderly population (45%) more than any other group, although the elderly only represent 8% of the insured population. Men begin to suffer from disability at earlier ages than women; accidents are the main reason in men,while in women it is chronic diseases. Ca. 47% of disabled persons are heads of family, 16% are spouses, and 24% are children. Disabled women are heads of family in 31% of house-holds with disabled persons. The main type of disability is difficulty in walking or in use of hands or arms, while principal causes are disease (40%), accidents(23%), and aging (16%). The IMSS has an ex-tended infrastructure to deal with the health needsof disabled persons; nevertheless, a preventive strategy is required to be in place to face the increasing demand of health and rehabilitation services for the insured population.