The objective of this manuscript is to analyze the socioeconomic and family characteristics of 50 years and older population who are at high risk of testing positive for Covid-19, being hospitalized or intubated in Mexico. We used two sources of information, the database of the Ministry of Health on Covid-19 and the Mexican Health and Aging Study in Mexico, in the first, regression models are estimated to calculate the risk and they are applied in the second to analyze socioeconomic and family vulnerabilities. Results show that gender and age are strong predictors of high risk. Those with less schooling, those who work without having a place, those who perceive their economic situation as fair or bad, as well as those who live in single-person households, receive financial and non-financial help from their children are presented as a highly vulnerable group to Covid-19 and its repercussions. It is necessary to develop strategies and support aimed to minimize the impacts of events such as the pandemic, ensure access to quality and timely health services, an economic income in accordance with the needs, and maintaining the standards of well-being of older adults.

Aging in Mexico is a process with several effects in the families and homes. However, the presence of older members in Mexican families has been scarcely analyzed. In this paper we reflect on the experiences of homes with advanced life cycles when turning points happen, such as widowhood, retirement, empty nest stage and when chronic diseases appear, as well as caring processes and family and social networks weakening, and social and institutional support diminution. We analyze some data from the National Survey on Health and Aging in Mexico (Enasem, 2001) considering the gender differences and, specially, health condition of elder people.

This paper investigates the effect of consensual union dissolution on the observed levels of women never in union as estimated from the marital status variable in Latin American population censuses. We compare census data with data from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) for those countries and years where both sources are available (Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, and Peru). Results show that the proportions of women never in union based on the census 'marital status' variable are systematically higher than those estimated from the DHS. This overestimation is due to individuals formerly in consensual unions declaring themselves as single at the time of the census. The large proportion of single women that have children is strong evidence of this and at the same time appears to be a valid and practical option to correct the bias.

The history of Mexico-U.S. migration is characterized by a series of discrete phases during which levels and patterns of migration change primarily in response to shifts in U.S. policies. The late 1990s witnessed the onset of the latest shift, moving Mexican immigration from the era of contradiction to the era of marginalization. At present a large majority of Mexicans living in the United States lie outside the full protection of the law during a period in which the penalties for illegality have grown and the persecution of unauthorized immigrants has reached record levels. Increasingly Mexicans in the United States cut off from their homeland by a militarized border but estranged from American society by anti-immigrant policies, practices, and attitudes, putting them in an unusually marginalized and vulnerable position.

This paper is aimed at obtaining estimates of pension coverage or retirement retreat indicators for the Mexican population over 65 years, and assessing the impact of pension systems in transitions to retirement of adults in middle and advanced ages in Mexico. To do this, microeconomic data from the Mexican National Survey of Health and Aging are used. The econometric analysis carried out is focused on identifying socio-demographic, economic, and institutional factors that are associated with having access to a retirement pension or to rely on other sources of income. Moreover, the relationship between social protection and labor market is examined. The main result of this research is that in Mexico the transition to retirement from the labor market in the advanced stages of the life cycle, measured by having access to retirement pensions, are limited due to the characteristics of highly contributory pension schemes, which favor the population with formal and more stable career paths associated to: 1) gender characteristics, 2) educational opportunities and 3) potential integration into the labor market.

We use longitudinal data from the Mexican Health and Aging Study to analyze the relationship between health and labor force participation of population aged 50 years and older in Mexico. The results confirm that health, measured through chronic diseases and difficulty to perform activities of daily living, has a powerful influence on labor force participation. We also find important differences by gender; hypertension and diabetes have effects in both, men and women; heart disease and stroke only in men. We provide concrete evidence on economic participation and highlight the importance of public policies to create adequate jobs for the population at middle and old age.

During the last year of life of the elderly health deteriorates the most, thus becoming the period of time when needs of medical services, personal care requirements and related costs are at highest. Using the Mexican Health and Aging Study, differences by sex in the determinants for out-of-pocket health expenditures during the last year of life of people 50 and over are discussed. Three levels of out-of-pocket expenses disbursement are contemplated: none, medium-low, and high. Controlling by sociodemographic variables, findings suggest that the number of hospital nights is the main determinant of health expenses, even above those related to diseases that are regarded as main causes of death. This fact impacts both out-of-pocket expences and the costs for medical institution. It is another issue in the over-hauling of the public health system.

Based on the information generated by the National Census of Health and Aging in Mexico (Enasem, 2001), the following article analyzes the influence of some demographic, socioeconomic and health variables in the residential arrangements of adults older than 50 years of age in Mexico. Using descriptive statistics and parting from the construction of two m-logit models, it is found that most of the people of more than 50 years share dwelling with their children, particularly the single ones. The coresidence with married children occurs with more frequency when seniors do not have couple and present functional deterioration.

The purpose of this article is to describe the amount and types of income and assets that the middle and old age population receive and own in Mexico. We use data from the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS) 2001; a prospective panel study with national representation of individuals aged 50 and older. The results confirm the hypotheses of the paper: that the distributions of income and wealth are biased in favor of certain groups, in particular those highly educated; that the majority of the wealth of individuals is in non-financial form; that family help is an important source of income; and that the association between wealth and health is positive in general, which is consistent with the international literature for other countries. In addition, we find that wealth is more equitably distributed than income. We conclude that the wealth indicator offers an additional dimension of analysis than income, with potential to contribute to studies of well-being of the population of middle and old age in Mexico.

In Brazil, abortion is considered a crime under the Criminal Code since 1940. After the Zika virus epidemic (2015-2017) and the consequent appearance of microcephaly in newborns struck South America, the debate on the decriminalization of abortion in the Brazilian society was reignited. Using data obtained from focus groups comprising women of reproductive age across different socioeconomic strata and two Brazilian cities, we investigated the perceptions of the participants on abortion, especially its use during the Zika epidemic. Although legally criminalized, abortion is prevalent among women, as a way to fulfill their reproductive desire. Criminalization puts the health and lives of women at risk, particularly those with less economic and cultural capital. We also discover the role of friends in women's decision to utilize the procedure. The strong asymmetry of power between men and women contributes to the greater vulnerability of women. The results suggest an urgent need to review the legislation on abortion concerning its criminalization and the option of safer abortion within the scope of the public health service.