Abstract
The older adult population is increasing both in number and in proportion worldwide. In Hong Kong, the number of people aged 65 or above is expected to reach 2.5 million in 2039, thus becoming one-third of the population. With this growing population, the need for dental care among older adults is expected to surge. Oral health care is one of the government’s core policy agendas and the Department of Health has emphasised its importance. It has implemented a number of policies, such as increasing the number of dental training places, setting up an expert group for oral health care policy planning, and conducting regular oral health surveys of the population. It is subsidizing several programmes, including the Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme, Community Care Fund Elderly Dental Assistance Programme, Outreach Dental Care Programme, and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Programme, in order to promote oral health care in older adults. These programmes have received support and positive feedback from both the public and dental service providers. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the oral health care of older adults in Hong Kong and recommendations to enhance their effectiveness.
Highlights
Geriatrics 2021, 6, 97. https://Global aging is a major public health issue, and Hong Kong is no exception [1,2]
The fertility rate has dropped during the past few decades and reached its lowest number, 868 per 1000 women, in 2020 [4,5]. This changes the age structure in Hong Kong’s population, which is characterized by a shrinking young population and an expanding older adult population [6]
This review aims to provide an overview of the oral health care of older adults in Hong Kong and to provide recommendations to enhance their effectiveness
Summary
Geriatrics 2021, 6, 97. https://Global aging is a major public health issue, and Hong Kong is no exception [1,2]. The number of older adults (aged 65 or above) is expected to double from 1.2 million in 2019 to 2.5 million in 2039, becoming one-third of the population [2] This trajectory can be explained by an increase in life expectancy, as well as a decrease in the fertility rate. The fertility rate has dropped during the past few decades and reached its lowest number, 868 per 1000 women, in 2020 [4,5]. This changes the age structure in Hong Kong’s population, which is characterized by a shrinking young population and an expanding older adult population [6]
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