An element of the NIA Strategic Directions is to ?understand how population aging and changes in social, economic, and demographic characteristics of cohorts reaching old age affect health and well-being in the United States and other countries.? Population aging in Latin America will lead to a transformation of the age composition in the region, changing support ratios between the retired and working populations that will strain private/family sources and public programs alike. Longitudinal aging studies are developing in this region and harmonization of these studies with the NIA-supported Health and Retirement Study could provide significant opportunities for interdisciplinary aging research. Building on the success of the NAS workshop Research and Data Needs to Meet the Challenges of Population Aging in Asia that led to the development of longitudinal aging studies in India and China (as well as recommendations on research), NIA has contract with the National Research Council to appoint a committee of international experts to meet to prepare a report on a research agenda and data collection/harmonization strategy for Latin America. The meeting will feature collaboration with Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Population Division of the United Nations.
