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| Elderly Population Growth | Youth Population Growth |
Age is the single most important factor in understanding health status and the need and demand for health care resources. For the elderly, there is a clear relationship between age and mortality, prevalence of chronic conditions, and level of disability. Similarly, the elderly are the heaviest users of health care resources. Both age-related health status and resource utilization will be described in greater detail in subsequent chapters.
Hawai`i vs. U.S. Elderly Trend:
Until 2000, Hawai'i's elderly population, aged 65 and older, was growing at a much faster pace than the nation's elderly population. Since 2000, Hawai'i's growth has leveled off. Consider these facts:
- Since statehood, Hawai'i's proportion of elderly
to total population has increased nearly three-fold,
from roughly 5 percent in 1960 to nearly 14 percent
in 2006. During this same period, the elderly segment
of the nation's population increased by one-third,
from 9 percent to 12 percent.
- Between 1990 and 2006, the number of elderly aged
75 and older increased 41 percent nationally compared
to a 106 percent increase in Hawai'i.
Elderly Trend in the Counties: All counties experienced significant
growth (13-14 percent) in their elderly populations since 1970.
Projections: By 2030, the elderly population
will represent 20 percent of the populations for each
county, the state, and the nation as a whole; that is,
one out of every five individuals will be aged 65 or older.
In comparison, in 1970, one out of every 17 individuals
was aged 65 or older.
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