The Trend of Healthcare Needs among Elders and Its Association with Healthcare Access and Quality in Low-Income Countries: An Exploration of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Abstract

To investigate the trend of healthcare needs among elders in low-income countries (LICs) and how changes in healthcare access and quality (HAQ) have correlated with these changes from 1990 to 2019, this study used estimates from the global burden of disease (GBD) 2019 study, including prevalence, years of life lost (YLLs), years lived with disability (YLDs), life expectancy (LE), health-adjusted life expectancy (HALE) and the HAQ index for years 1990 and 2019. We found increases in numbers of YLLs, YLDs, and prevalent cases due to NCDs, and the rate of increase was higher for all indicators of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) when compared with communicable, maternal, neonatal and nutritional diseases among elders. We also observed increases in LE and HALE among all countries. However, this was also challenged by increases in unhealthy life years (ULYs) and their constant percentage of LE. The HAQ index of LICs was also found to be low, although it had increased during the period. A reduction in the burden of acute diseases explains the increase in LE, but increases in ULYs and the NCD burden were also observed. LICs need to improve their HAQ to counter the growing threat of longer but less healthy lives.