Health and functional status of the elderly in a Polynesian population

A health survey was conducted on a random sample of the elderly living on Niue Island in the Southwest Pacific, an island experiencing both the demographic and epidemiological transitions predicted to become common throughout the Third World in the next decades. One-quarter of the respondents reported having no medical impairments and one-third experience no diminution in functional capacity. Visual and auditory losses were common as were respiratory conditions and chronic degenerative disorders. Mobility was a central aspect of functional status. Few striking differences in health and functional status exist between Niuean elderly and their counterparts in the United States. The small but significant proportion (16%) of Niuean elderly who are very frail represent a challenge to the organization and delivery of current health and welfare services.