Brazil’s Fiocruz releases extensive elderly health study

elderly health Brazil Fiocruz study hypertension prevalence fall risk seniors functional limitation

The Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), together with the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), presented the third wave of the Longitudinal Study of Brazilian Elderly Health (ELSI‑Brasil). The research, one of the nation’s most comprehensive on ageing, makes about 100 health‑related indicators publicly available through an online platform.

Key findings show that 42.7% of urban seniors fear falling because of sidewalk and public‑space defects, rising to 50.5% among women and 63.1% for those aged 80 or more. Twelve point one percent (≈3.8 million) consider their neighbourhood very unsafe due to violence. Hypertension affects 34.4% of the elderly (about 11 million people), while 20.4% (≈6.5 million) report difficulty with basic daily activities, indicating functional limitation.

Researchers stress the urgency of age‑friendly public policies, including urban accessibility, road safety, mobility improvements and strengthened primary‑care services to address these risks.