Health profile of the ageing population: the Swedish experience

Sweden is demographically one of the oldest countries in the world. The average life expectancy is comparatively high. However, the total number of physical and mental disorders, which may affect the elderly, seems to be increasing and becoming more and more complicated to prevent and treat. The rapid changes in the human biotope, threatening the quality of life of Man, play an important role in this development. The elderly in the future will, thus, have a health profile which may differ significantly from that of today's elderly. As general health is largely dependent on the 'health' of the environment and oral health may be the mirror image of general health, dentistry has a key position and responsibility in the international action programme for a sustainable development (Agenda 21, UNCED, 1992). Therefore, traditional curricula in, for example, odontology should be supplemented with interdisciplinary courses with a focus on a holistic view of the human condition. In collaboration with UNESCO, such an educational programme has been developed at Göteborg University. It aims at assisting each person to take on an increased self-responsibility for his or her immediate environment and health ('individual Agenda 21'). At present, an educational network is being established in Eastern Europe, in collaboration with medical and odontological faculties at the national universities.