Research on aging in Portugal

Abstract

This review presents an analysis of the current state of gerontological and geriatric research in Portugal, and highlights the need for a national consensus and funding for age-related research projects. Such efforts must be multidisciplinary, since the process of aging encompasses biological, psychological, social, economic and cultural aspects. Demographic studies reveal a growing population of elderly in Portugal as a result of a healthier population in general. This increased life expectancy, however, is accompanied by a parallel increase in degenerative pathologies and care costs among the elderly. Preventive medicine is an important tool to reduce health care costs and avoid or abbreviate suffering from age-related syndromes, but such projects on a national basis neither exists, nor does gerontology or geriatrics receive funding to perform needed research. Consequently, research on aging depends on the initiative of individual investigators who, without funding or cohesive programs, can do little to improve the low scientific output in this area. The implementation of a national program, that can establish health care policy and priorities as well as fund the necessary research, will permit organized cooperation among the different scientific disciplines related to aging. This is a crucial step toward improving present knowledge, ensuring application of experimental and statistical results to the clinical care of the aging population, and attract young investigators to this field.