Geographical distribution of the elderly population of the Aeronautical Command Health System

OBJECTIVES: To verify the geographical distribution, in the Brazilian territory, of the elderly beneficiaries of the Aeronautical Command Health System. METHODS: The group was composed by the present beneficiaries of the System, of both sexes, with age equal or over 60, living in the Brazilian territory. The data was collected from the Personnel Management System, and a regionalized distribution of the elderly population was obtained. RESULTS: It was observed a total of 60.402 elderly entailed to the Health System, representing 21% of the total population assisted. The following distribution by regions of the national territory was obtained: Southeast Region, with 36.287 elderly (60,0%); Northeast Region, with 9.786 (16,2%); South Region, with 5.574 (9,2%); Center-west Region, with 5.010 (8,3%) and North Region, with 3.702 (6,3%). Of the total of elderly assisted, 45.842 (75%) are concentrated in only five states: Rio de Janeiro (24.993), São Paulo (8.811), Pernambuco (4.723), Distrito Federal (4.204) and Rio Grande do Sul (3.111). CONCLUSIONS: The number of elderly beneficiaries assisted by the Health System of the Aeronautical Command is well above the average of the other health operators of the national market and presents a different geographical distribution from the Brazilian general population