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Mental health problems are a set of high-impact conditions. People aged 60 years and over are particularly vulnerable to factors that increase their risk of experiencing mental health problems and fatal outcomes, such as suicide. Within this age group, men as a subgroup are seldom the targets of relevant public health measures. This article aims to characterize the mental health status of men aged 60 years and over in Chile by using data from population-based surveys carried out in the country: the 2003 and 2009 National Health Surveys (NHS), the 2009 National Study of Dependency in Older Persons (ENADEAM), and the 2015 National Socioeconomic Characterization Survey (CASEN). The article looks at indicators for depression and depressive symptoms, suicide, and suicidal ideation, as well as mental health visits. According to reported figures from these surveys, older men in Chile constitute the population subgroup with the highest suicide rate, the lowest reported rates of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, and the lowest reported frequency of mental health visits. Furthermore, men report depression less often than women. These figures provide an approximate picture of the mental health profile of older men in Chile and give rise to questions regarding the relevance of current epidemiological models for the identification of mental health risk profiles in this group. They also point to the urgent need to design health programs that integrate gender considerations in order to ensure proper screening and the acceptability of potential interventions for promoting mental health and reducing risk factors among older men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health vulnerability refers to a lack of protection for specific population groups with specific health problems, as well as the disadvantages they face in solving them in comparison with other population groups. This major public health problem has multiple and diverse causes, including a shortage of trained health care personnel and the lack of family, social, economic, and institutional support in obtaining care and minimizing health risks. Health vulnerability is a dynamic condition arising from the confluence of multiple social determinants. This article attempts to describe the health situation of three vulnerable groups in Mexico--older adults, indigenous people, and migrants--and, after defining the needs of each, explore measures that could contribute to the design and implementation of public health policies better tailored to their respective needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Standing up to the challenges of aging requires a coordinated strategy, disseminating a geriatric focus among all the specialty areas that serve the older adult. This article addresses the reasons that justify this focus and covers the objectives, goals, and methods currently being proposed to develop the approach. Preventive and curative actions, but most importantly, the overall care of seniors and improvements to their functional status, are priorities for securing a better quality of life in old age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To identify, compare, and analyze the social networks of two groups of poor, older adults in two types of public housing projects in Chile, in terms of the types of relationships and the frequency and purpose of their interactions, before and after moving to their new homes. Methods. A descriptive study was conducted of public housing beneficiaries in apartment buildings versus condominiums. The study pool was the group of people assigned to housing in buildings (n = 152) and condominiums (n = 124) from 1998 to 2001. A questionnaire was administered in their homes. Results. Most study participants indicated that the move to public housing meant leaving their old neighborhood for a new one, a change that, among other consequences, produced changes in their social networks. In general, both groups have similar social networks, with their children being the strongest source of support, both before and after the move. After the move, social interaction generally decreased, except among the adults living in apartment buildings, for whom it increased slightly with family members, and in a superficial manner, with others who had weak connections and were neither friends nor family. Interactions with establishments also decreased, although interactions with senior services increased for the condo residents from 28% to 65% and for apartment residents from 31% to 45%. Conclusions. It is recommended that similar programs strive to preserve and strengthen the social networks in place prior to moving and encourage the formation of relationships in the new residences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]