WHO/PAHO

The Mexican Health and Aging Study

The Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS) is a national study of adults aged 50 and older in Mexico (n=15,000) that has produced over 380 publications. The first longitudinal study of older Mexicans with a broad socioeconomic perspective, MHAS was designed to evaluate the impact of disease on health, function, and mortality.

Six waves of data have been collected between 2001 and 2021. A sub-sample of the 2018 wave was used for the ancillary study on cognitive aging (Mex- Cog 2021, n=4,066). MHAS is supported by the National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Aging (R01AG018016) and the Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía (INEGI) in Mexico. Mex-Cog is supported by the National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Aging (NIH R01AG051158).

Global Outcomes

• As of January 2023, more than 659 million cumulative cases and more than 6.6 cumulative deaths worldwide
• Covid-19 prevalence 3x higher in high income countries than other countries
• 25% increase in prevalence of anxiety and depression worldwide
• In 2020, more than 144 million lost jobs and lost working hours equivalent to 255 million full time jobs

In Mexico

• As of January 2023, more than 7.2 million cumulative cases and more than 331,000 cumulative deaths in Mexico
• Vaccine doses administered: 226, 063, 079
• People receiving at least 1 dose: 99,071,001
• Percent of population receiving at least 1 dose: 77.53% 

FindingsMeg-Cog 2021

Loneliness & Depression

Compared to how they felt in 2018 older adults who had COVID-19 reported more depressive symptoms in 2021 but felt less lonely. Those who did not have COVID-19 reported about the same depressive symptoms compared to 2018, and less loneliness.

7.9% Respondents reported having Covid-19

54.1% Respondents reported that others in their household had covid-19

Changes in Support & Financial Challenges

Respondents who had Covid-19 were more likely to miss payments of all types than those who had not. More respondents who had Covid-19 received help (e.g., running errands) and were more likely to have others in their household who had Covid-19. 

Future Studies

• What is the trajectory of cognitive and physical function of older adults who got COVID-19 compared to those who did not?
• How did the pandemic affect older adults’ mental and physical health, as well as their savings, wealth, and outlook (e.g., retirement plans)?
• What is the long-term prevalence of chronic dieases of those who got COVID-19? How does this prevalence compare for those who received vaccines and those who did not?

Current Statistics on Covid-19 in Mexico

• Our World in Data https://utmb.us/8jt 

Acknowledgements

• Brandon O'Grady, MS
• Alejandra Michaels Obregon, MS
• Rebeca Wong, PhD
• Amber McIlwain, MS
• Roxann Grover, MA

References

• World Health Organization. (n.d.). WHO coronavirus (COVID-19) dashboard. World Health Organization. Retrieved November 15, 2022, from https://covid19.who.int/ 
• Bayati M. Why Is COVID-19 More Concentrated in Countries with High Economic Status? Iran J Public Health. 2021 Sep;50(9):1926-1929. doi: 10.18502/ijph.v50i9.7081. PMID: 34722396; PMCID: PMC8542832.
• World Health Organization. (n.d.). Covid-19 pandemic triggers 25% increase in prevalence of anxiety and depression worldwide. World Health Organization. Retrieved November 15, 2022, from https://www.who.int/news/item/02-03-2022-covid-19-pandemic-triggers-25-increase-in-prevalence-of-anxiety-and-depression-worldwide 
• World Economic Forum. (n.d.). Covid-19 has caused a huge amount of lost working hours. Retrieved November 15, 2022, from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/02/covid-employment-global-job-loss/ 
• Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. (n.d.). Mexico - Covid-19 overview - Johns Hopkins. Retrieved November 15, 2022, from https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/region/mexico 

The Mexican Health and Aging Study

• www.MHASweb.org (ENGLISH)
• www.ENASEM.org (SPANISH)
• info@mhasweb.com (E-mail)
• @MHAS_ENASEM (Twitter)