Immigration and aging: New challenges in Public Health

Foreign migration in Spain is at present a priority in the social and demographic context the country. At a worldwide level, trends in the evolution of population and social, political and economical indicators, appear to maintain for the coming years, the present trends on migrations from poor countries to the rich ones. In the health area, considering migration as a relatively recent phenomena in Spain, and considering that is mainly constituted by young and healthy population, there are not still data available on the main health needs of migrants related to aging. Data from other countries with a longer migrant tradition, shows mental health disorders and social and cultural barriers for adaptation, as basic health determinants for older migrants. Related to the effects in the health system, the inclusion of the aging factor in general population and migrant needs, offer an optimistic panorama for future planning. Migrant aging in Spain, despite of it's middle and long term perspective, do require a progressive adaptation of knowledge and resources to cover future needs. Considering this coming future, health professionals do need to be trained in intercultural skills and knowledge.