People aged 90 and up in buenos aires city: a census-based analysis involving social, economic, disability-related and spatial factors

The 2010 national census registered 661 centenarians (105 were men and 556 women in increasing number with respect to 2001) in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires (CABA). At a time when the concept of “healthy aging” is a prevailing one, a detailed description of the sociodemographic and disability characteristics of our centenarians can provide important data. This is a descriptive, diachronic, qualitative-quantitative study based on census data. The study presents a cross-sectional design in which different demographic and socioeconomic indicators were elaborated taking into account different spatial scales (provincial, communal and census fractions (2010). Disability data emerges from the expanded 2010 Census questionnaire, which was applied to a Probabilistic sample of census segments. At the total country level, there were 5.1 centenarians per 100,000 inhabitants in 2001. In 2010, there was a growth of 69.8%. CABA (2001) showed a value 2.6 times higher than the national average. For both sexes, the group with the highest growth in relative terms is that of the centenarians: there are 18.9 men for every 100 women. Most live in private homes and have indicators of high quality of life (they are owners in certain communes, with houses larger than the average) and very low indicators of unsatisfied basic needs. They have medical coverage, collect retirement and have a high educational level. However, a minority is disability-free (mental, motor and sensory). Females present a more unfavorable situation than males in almost all variables analyzed. This first approach (carried out with data of public access) allows through the analyzed variables to know in depth the real situation of the centennial population of CABA. This is characterized by a high percentage of disability and conditions unfavorable for women. From this work rises the need for a more exhaustive and individualized study on the specific problems of this age group.